Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
More great news at Maple Valley Farm!
We have used Johnny's Seeds for a few years now and we have seen the difference in our yield and the quality of their seeds is remarkable. There simply is no comparison! Johnny's does NOT sell GMO's of any sort!
Now we have become partners with Johnny's to sell their seeds in our Maple Valley Mercantile store front coming Spring 2010, located right on the farm in our produce building. We will be passing along a discount to you. No shipping on seeds and more! We will also carry the seeds for sale at our online store.
Plant your 2010 garden with Johnny's and Maple Valley Farms and you will see the difference if your vegetables! We dare ya to try it!
Now we have become partners with Johnny's to sell their seeds in our Maple Valley Mercantile store front coming Spring 2010, located right on the farm in our produce building. We will be passing along a discount to you. No shipping on seeds and more! We will also carry the seeds for sale at our online store.
Plant your 2010 garden with Johnny's and Maple Valley Farms and you will see the difference if your vegetables! We dare ya to try it!
To see all the great products and seeds Johnny's has to offer you! We will have a wonderful selection in the store but we can order anything you would like that we do not have on hand! Please call the farm with any questions at 616-566-8481 or email us!
Here is to a great year in gardening in 2010!
~Ang
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Here is some info on the Maple Valley Cottage... Something for everyone!
***The first one to book a night gets 25% off the prices of any package, one or MORE nights! You won't know if its you till you book! We love Surprises and you will too!***PLUS the 5th person to book gets 25% off the prices of any package, one or MORE nights! Find out when you book!
The Lavish Living Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. your supper will be brought to your dining table for your private dinner with your guest. Wake up and come down to the farm house to the farm kitchen for an all you can eat family style breakfast with the family at 8:30 a.m. You will not leave hungry. During your stay you will receive a horse drawn ride whether by sleigh, wagon or buggy. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $175~
The Maple Valley Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. your supper will be brought to your dining table for your private dinner with your guest. Wake up and come down to the farm house to the farm kitchen for an all you can eat family style breakfast with the family at 8:30 a.m. You will not leave hungry. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $160~
The Bedstead and Brunch Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. Wake up and come down to the farm house to the farm kitchen for an all you can eat family style breakfast with the family at 8:30 a.m. You will not leave hungry. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $120~
The Economy Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. At 8:30 a.m. a hot tea and coffee caddy will be brought to your dining room at the cottage with a piping pot of hot steel cut oats, milk and maple syrup from Maple Valley Farms. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $95~
The Penny Wise Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $75.00~
The BYOBedding and Linens Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. Please bring your own towels and wash cloths, as well as, a queen size set of sheets and pillowcases (pillows and blankets provided). Suggested $60.00~
A Friend of Maple Valley Farm Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. Please bring your own towels and wash cloths, as well as a queen size set of sheets and pillowcases (pillows and blankets provided). At 8:30 a.m. a hot tea and coffee caddy will be brought to your dining room at the cottage with a piping pot of steel cut oats, milk and maple syrup from Maple Valley Farms. This pacakge is available to anyone who has participated in a Maple Valley Farm work day. No specials or discounts please. Suggested $50.00 for a family of 4. Please call the farm if you have any questions.
ARE YOU INTERESTED in renting the Maple Cottage for the day for your Bible Study Group, Scrap booking or knitting group? Only $75 for 8 hours between the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 10 p.m. Maximum group of 10 please! Additional hours available for $7- an hour.
More information is located here...
The Lavish Living Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. your supper will be brought to your dining table for your private dinner with your guest. Wake up and come down to the farm house to the farm kitchen for an all you can eat family style breakfast with the family at 8:30 a.m. You will not leave hungry. During your stay you will receive a horse drawn ride whether by sleigh, wagon or buggy. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $175~
The Maple Valley Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. your supper will be brought to your dining table for your private dinner with your guest. Wake up and come down to the farm house to the farm kitchen for an all you can eat family style breakfast with the family at 8:30 a.m. You will not leave hungry. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $160~
The Bedstead and Brunch Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. Wake up and come down to the farm house to the farm kitchen for an all you can eat family style breakfast with the family at 8:30 a.m. You will not leave hungry. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $120~
The Economy Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. At 8:30 a.m. a hot tea and coffee caddy will be brought to your dining room at the cottage with a piping pot of hot steel cut oats, milk and maple syrup from Maple Valley Farms. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $95~
The Penny Wise Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. All linens are provided with your stay as well. Suggested $75.00~
The BYOBedding and Linens Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. Please bring your own towels and wash cloths, as well as, a queen size set of sheets and pillowcases (pillows and blankets provided). Suggested $60.00~
A Friend of Maple Valley Farm Package: Check in to your private Maple Cottage at 4 p.m. Please bring your own towels and wash cloths, as well as a queen size set of sheets and pillowcases (pillows and blankets provided). At 8:30 a.m. a hot tea and coffee caddy will be brought to your dining room at the cottage with a piping pot of steel cut oats, milk and maple syrup from Maple Valley Farms. This pacakge is available to anyone who has participated in a Maple Valley Farm work day. No specials or discounts please. Suggested $50.00 for a family of 4. Please call the farm if you have any questions.
ARE YOU INTERESTED in renting the Maple Cottage for the day for your Bible Study Group, Scrap booking or knitting group? Only $75 for 8 hours between the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 10 p.m. Maximum group of 10 please! Additional hours available for $7- an hour.
More information is located here...
Monday, January 25, 2010
long, informative, exciting and a good read!
Maple Valley Farm, also known as “Eclectic Culture Farm” is still an eclectic culture… Each day, week, month and year we as a family partnership are striving to do better spiritually, mentally, physically and of course be at the top of the game in our health. Each breath, we are changing and praying to be conformed to His image. I hope next year to have changed as well to be closer to my Lord. Being stagnant and complacent is not something we adhere to and by now you know this...
And with this being said, for a few years now I have toyed around with the Weston A. Price Foundation (WP) ways of eating Nourishing Traditions (NT)for our family. I went to a few meetings at the local chapter and have had a small group get together here. We drink raw milk from our goats and Jersey Cow. We do not eat processed foods (like that fake cheese, smoked sausage junk etc); we have not in about 10 years. We eat raw honey, use Maple Syrup for some sweetener and made fermented sauerkraut. Nourishing Traditions is MUCH more than that. So with some encouragement from a few great friends here we are. Here we are, once again, digging deeper into the how and whys of what we are doing.
Weston A. Price/Nourishing Traditions is for one an affordable way to eat. But better yet, it is the way God intended for us to eat. “The independent producers of food (Ang here, like the small family farm as Maple Valley off-grid Farm) who present us with meat, poultry, eggs and butter, provide us with the lowest profit margin in the industry (Ang here, and lower prices than grocery stores). People who put out junk food… have an incredible return on invested capital because they are putting out low-cost items and making a very high profit” ~Robert C. Atkins, MD.
The back of NT says, “Recalling the culinary customs of our ancestors and looking ahead to a future of robust good health for young and old, NT offers modern families a fascinating guide to wise food choices and proper preparation techniques. Nutrition researcher Sally Fallon unites the wisdom of the ancients with the latest independent and accurate scientific research. The revised and updated Second Edition contains over 700 delicious recipes that will please both exacting gourmets and busy parents” (Ang here, it’s also EASY).
No worries, this blog will not be taken over by Weston A. Price himself. However, whether you are a vegan, a SAD (Standard American Diet) follower or something else, you will be able to glean some helpful information for your life along the way when we post about the NT topic. If anything, you will have some GREAT recipes to serve at your table.
What will happen here and how will this affect you?
Our farm is heading in the same direction it always has but with a NT twist. All of our food served at the farm at ANY function will be along the lines of NT. The innocent bystander will not even notice any changes but if you are a NT follower you can be rest assured you are eating the same as you normally would when you visit a Maple Valley off-grid Farm function. As always we will serve most everything grown right here but if we must purchase we will go local NT style. Most veggies grown here will reflect the ways of WP and guess what, I will have a little less canning to do now with fermenting our veggies and an added benefit is that we will be healthier for that. And as always, our grass fed hens will produce those orange tangy yokes just for you!
But here is where you come in!
We want to help you learn the NT ways as well! Each second Tuesday of every month from 6:30-8:30, MVF will be hosting our NT meeting on the farm for free. We would love to meet you and dialogue with your ideas of NT. This is an open invitation to you to visit the farm and join in the meeting. Our first meeting is very important if you are just starting NT or you want to know more. We will give an introduction on NT (Politically correct nutrition is such a joke) and dive in to the discussion of cultured dairy products. Please see the 2010 schedule of our farm meetings below. Each and every one of you is invited. Sometimes, we might have a special guest, time will tell. Throughout the seasons, just like last year, we will offer our grass fed eggs, beef, chicken, raw honey, maple syrup and fresh produce for sale as well. AND, just a little HINT HINT… We are hoping to open a bulk food “store” this year for you to purchase grains, beans, sprouts, seeds for the garden, off grid supplies, simple living goodies and more… shhhhh!!! WE ARE EXCITED!
Maple Valley Farms Nourishing Traditions Meeting Schedule for 2010
February 9, 2010 **NOTE SPECIAL TIME** 6-9 p.m. This is for the veteran NT follower down to the newbie that wants to start and does not know where. We will be discussing the introduction of NT and how “politically correct nutrition” these days is a sad joke. We will dive in to the discussion of cultured dairy products as well.
March 9, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Whole Grains and Sprouted Grains, Nuts and Seeds - We will discuss the importance of banishing white flour from our cupboards completely and give some advice on the best nutritional idea of soaking our grains. Taste some healthy oatmeal samples, a sample of some NT pancakes. We will show you a virtually free way to make a seed sprouter with things you have from home and you will see sprouts in the jars with a sample taste.
April 13, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. A Guide to Natural Sweeteners and How to Brew your own Kombucha Tea (hoping to have a few scobbies for sale) Sample Kombucha Tea (it is so in expensive to brew at home) and learn of its wonderful properties with its pro-biotic benefits! Sample Stevia (Hoping to have the perennial to sell to you for your own garden) and Succanat, two wonderful natural sweeteners. We will have raw honey and maple syrup for sale at a great price this evening.
May 11, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fermented Veggies and Fruits. We will have a sample taste of sauerkraut that has been fermented 4 months for you to try. We will show you the art of manually making your own sauerkraut with whey and unrefined sea salt all with an old-fashioned cabbage mallet. We will discuss the health benefits of fermented fruits and veggies.
June 8, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Beverages and Ice Cream. We will show you how to make homemade hand crank iced cream (it's easy!!!)All with maple syrup for the sweetener) discuss some cool summer beverages and more.
July 13, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. We will discuss the soaking of nuts and talk about some great NT desserts (possible samples) that even the children will enjoy!
August 10, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Catalog of Veggies from the NT Book. We will discuss these and the recipes and the health benefits.
September 14, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Making your own Stocks and a little about coconut products and their health benefits. Need I say more? It should be an informative evening.
October 12, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Making Tonics and “What are Super Foods” NT Style? A great recipe for a tonic. Beef Kvass a staple in most European homes with its valuable medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood and is a great treatment for kidney stones. We will have fresh picked organic beets for sale.
November 9, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Holiday Hors’ d Oeuvers and dips with gourmet appetizers! Leave with some great ideas for all of your holiday cooking this year. Now, you will not be unprepared for all of those family gatherings with what to bring with eating this wonderful NT way! Some great samples!
December 14, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Our Holiday Party for NT group! We will be serving the NT recipe of Hot Cocoa type of drink and we encourage you to bring a small NT goodie to share as we end the year together and talk about our NT 2011 group! This will be a delightful evening so don’t miss it!
Please note, here comes another disclaimer, Maple Valley Farms is/are aware and telling you as well that NONE of the statements above or on this blog have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These NT gatherings are not in any way intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases of any kind!!!!! Ok, now that we are all adults, back to the fun stuff!
SO, we hope to see you this year! We want you to feel comfortable asking any question about NT ways and we hope you seriously consider this way of eating for yourself, for your family and lastly but most importantly for your health!
~In the Spirit of farming, family and Faith!
“The Gentle Giant and Homemakerang”
Maple Valley Farms
Matt and Angela Kuncaitis and Kinner
616 566 8481
And with this being said, for a few years now I have toyed around with the Weston A. Price Foundation (WP) ways of eating Nourishing Traditions (NT)for our family. I went to a few meetings at the local chapter and have had a small group get together here. We drink raw milk from our goats and Jersey Cow. We do not eat processed foods (like that fake cheese, smoked sausage junk etc); we have not in about 10 years. We eat raw honey, use Maple Syrup for some sweetener and made fermented sauerkraut. Nourishing Traditions is MUCH more than that. So with some encouragement from a few great friends here we are. Here we are, once again, digging deeper into the how and whys of what we are doing.
Weston A. Price/Nourishing Traditions is for one an affordable way to eat. But better yet, it is the way God intended for us to eat. “The independent producers of food (Ang here, like the small family farm as Maple Valley off-grid Farm) who present us with meat, poultry, eggs and butter, provide us with the lowest profit margin in the industry (Ang here, and lower prices than grocery stores). People who put out junk food… have an incredible return on invested capital because they are putting out low-cost items and making a very high profit” ~Robert C. Atkins, MD.
"After reading NT, I also found it to be the original way man was eating
for 1,000 of years (notice I did not say millions). Just like society today has wandered from it values of faith, family and more, we have also wandered away from good nutrition. NT is a nutritional Bible that
takes us back to our food faith, from where we began, and reprograms
our thinking back to the original way our nutrition for ourselves and for our family was intended to be.” ~Angela Kuncaitis~
The back of NT says, “Recalling the culinary customs of our ancestors and looking ahead to a future of robust good health for young and old, NT offers modern families a fascinating guide to wise food choices and proper preparation techniques. Nutrition researcher Sally Fallon unites the wisdom of the ancients with the latest independent and accurate scientific research. The revised and updated Second Edition contains over 700 delicious recipes that will please both exacting gourmets and busy parents” (Ang here, it’s also EASY).
No worries, this blog will not be taken over by Weston A. Price himself. However, whether you are a vegan, a SAD (Standard American Diet) follower or something else, you will be able to glean some helpful information for your life along the way when we post about the NT topic. If anything, you will have some GREAT recipes to serve at your table.
What will happen here and how will this affect you?
Our farm is heading in the same direction it always has but with a NT twist. All of our food served at the farm at ANY function will be along the lines of NT. The innocent bystander will not even notice any changes but if you are a NT follower you can be rest assured you are eating the same as you normally would when you visit a Maple Valley off-grid Farm function. As always we will serve most everything grown right here but if we must purchase we will go local NT style. Most veggies grown here will reflect the ways of WP and guess what, I will have a little less canning to do now with fermenting our veggies and an added benefit is that we will be healthier for that. And as always, our grass fed hens will produce those orange tangy yokes just for you!
But here is where you come in!
We want to help you learn the NT ways as well! Each second Tuesday of every month from 6:30-8:30, MVF will be hosting our NT meeting on the farm for free. We would love to meet you and dialogue with your ideas of NT. This is an open invitation to you to visit the farm and join in the meeting. Our first meeting is very important if you are just starting NT or you want to know more. We will give an introduction on NT (Politically correct nutrition is such a joke) and dive in to the discussion of cultured dairy products. Please see the 2010 schedule of our farm meetings below. Each and every one of you is invited. Sometimes, we might have a special guest, time will tell. Throughout the seasons, just like last year, we will offer our grass fed eggs, beef, chicken, raw honey, maple syrup and fresh produce for sale as well. AND, just a little HINT HINT… We are hoping to open a bulk food “store” this year for you to purchase grains, beans, sprouts, seeds for the garden, off grid supplies, simple living goodies and more… shhhhh!!! WE ARE EXCITED!
Maple Valley Farms Nourishing Traditions Meeting Schedule for 2010
February 9, 2010 **NOTE SPECIAL TIME** 6-9 p.m. This is for the veteran NT follower down to the newbie that wants to start and does not know where. We will be discussing the introduction of NT and how “politically correct nutrition” these days is a sad joke. We will dive in to the discussion of cultured dairy products as well.
March 9, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Whole Grains and Sprouted Grains, Nuts and Seeds - We will discuss the importance of banishing white flour from our cupboards completely and give some advice on the best nutritional idea of soaking our grains. Taste some healthy oatmeal samples, a sample of some NT pancakes. We will show you a virtually free way to make a seed sprouter with things you have from home and you will see sprouts in the jars with a sample taste.
April 13, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. A Guide to Natural Sweeteners and How to Brew your own Kombucha Tea (hoping to have a few scobbies for sale) Sample Kombucha Tea (it is so in expensive to brew at home) and learn of its wonderful properties with its pro-biotic benefits! Sample Stevia (Hoping to have the perennial to sell to you for your own garden) and Succanat, two wonderful natural sweeteners. We will have raw honey and maple syrup for sale at a great price this evening.
May 11, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fermented Veggies and Fruits. We will have a sample taste of sauerkraut that has been fermented 4 months for you to try. We will show you the art of manually making your own sauerkraut with whey and unrefined sea salt all with an old-fashioned cabbage mallet. We will discuss the health benefits of fermented fruits and veggies.
June 8, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Beverages and Ice Cream. We will show you how to make homemade hand crank iced cream (it's easy!!!)All with maple syrup for the sweetener) discuss some cool summer beverages and more.
July 13, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. We will discuss the soaking of nuts and talk about some great NT desserts (possible samples) that even the children will enjoy!
August 10, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Catalog of Veggies from the NT Book. We will discuss these and the recipes and the health benefits.
September 14, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Making your own Stocks and a little about coconut products and their health benefits. Need I say more? It should be an informative evening.
October 12, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Making Tonics and “What are Super Foods” NT Style? A great recipe for a tonic. Beef Kvass a staple in most European homes with its valuable medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood and is a great treatment for kidney stones. We will have fresh picked organic beets for sale.
November 9, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Holiday Hors’ d Oeuvers and dips with gourmet appetizers! Leave with some great ideas for all of your holiday cooking this year. Now, you will not be unprepared for all of those family gatherings with what to bring with eating this wonderful NT way! Some great samples!
December 14, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. Our Holiday Party for NT group! We will be serving the NT recipe of Hot Cocoa type of drink and we encourage you to bring a small NT goodie to share as we end the year together and talk about our NT 2011 group! This will be a delightful evening so don’t miss it!
Please note, here comes another disclaimer, Maple Valley Farms is/are aware and telling you as well that NONE of the statements above or on this blog have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These NT gatherings are not in any way intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases of any kind!!!!! Ok, now that we are all adults, back to the fun stuff!
SO, we hope to see you this year! We want you to feel comfortable asking any question about NT ways and we hope you seriously consider this way of eating for yourself, for your family and lastly but most importantly for your health!
~In the Spirit of farming, family and Faith!
“The Gentle Giant and Homemakerang”
Maple Valley Farms
Matt and Angela Kuncaitis and Kinner
616 566 8481
Sunday, January 24, 2010
oh do dah day!
The Maple Valley off-grid Cottage site has our rates listed! Doo-dah, Doo-dah...
The first one to book a night gets 25% off the prices of any package, one or MORE nights! You won't know if its you till you book!
We love Surprises and you will too!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
a Valentine offering...
We have a splendid offer for Valentine's Day!
Steal away at the Maple Valley Cottage February 12-13, or February 13-14.
Arrive at your cozy cottage with wood fired stove and oil lamps, a real romantic touch at 6 pm.
We will serve you supper at your dining table in the cottage at 7 pmish. A 5+course authentic, hot and delicious Maple Valley Farms meal.
Enjoy a private sleigh ride after your dining. Then after a peaceful evening you can come to the farmhouse kitchen for a hearty breakfast at 8:30 am (Sunday the 14th your breakfast will be served to you at the cottage at 8:30 am)
Don't miss out on this special offer for 2, dinner, bedstead and brunch the next morning all for only $150-... (A $10 discount from our normal rates)
What are you waiting for? It's time to get away to the country with your sweetie!
~Maple Valley off-grid Farm 616 566 8481~
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The rest of the week in pictures
It is sledding time. Do we even have other options?
We have been enjoying the winterness of Michigan and on the farm! Some cross country skiing and sledding... Wednesday the Gentle Giant cut his leg in a small farming accident. 6" long by 1.5"-2" deep. A manure shovel, shoveling saw dust and more. Strange, yes. He is getting around a little better now. Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes. And, in the scope of what is going on in the world, Haiti and more, we are just FINE! So many blessings, so much to be thankful for. Hope you are enjoying your winterness as well! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!
We have been enjoying the winterness of Michigan and on the farm! Some cross country skiing and sledding... Wednesday the Gentle Giant cut his leg in a small farming accident. 6" long by 1.5"-2" deep. A manure shovel, shoveling saw dust and more. Strange, yes. He is getting around a little better now. Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes. And, in the scope of what is going on in the world, Haiti and more, we are just FINE! So many blessings, so much to be thankful for. Hope you are enjoying your winterness as well! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!xoxo ~Ang and fam
Monday this week, the GG writing his journaling notes (see below)
Monday this week, the GG writing his journaling notes (see below)some one is trying to be just like Papa! Or enlarge to see if you think The Great Him might be up to some mischief...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
January 11, 2010 Day 7
I will tell you, this is the easiest time on the farm! WINTER is... I almost feel sorta lazy. But, summer is coming! We can talk then about that lazy feeling. It will kick us in the rear end hard before you know it.
Speaking of summer, its going to be warm here the next couple of days, highs in the upper 30's! Yes! No snow in site either. Today, I was out cross country skiing in the sunshine, it felt great!
Ok, now for the Gentle Giant's journal entry yesterday, aka "GG". He took the challenge literally, and it true man fashion, he put down each time and entry in a more "mannish" way... You will see :)
4 am load stoves, bring down The Great Him into our bed but change diaper first
4:15 am return to slofa
6:00 am start coffee, dedicate day to the Lord
6:30 am play with baby girl and load stoves again, get dressed and brush teethers
7:30 am wake up youngy and make bobbymore for The Great Him
7:45 am check voice mails
8:00 am call over to LV to see if they need a lift this way
8:05 am start reading Psalm 95&96
8:30 am take a call to see if a family can use horses to move a building with the fresh snow
8:40 am finish devotion and personal time and go to shire to try and get plumbing unfrozen! This is me praying
9:30 am finish thawing reservoir and pipes, begin to fill reservoir
9:35 work to finish morning chores
1o am turn out horses
10:15 am come in to discipline the Great Him
10:35 am finish phone call with mulch layer manufacturer in PA
10:55 am call plastic culture company in PA
11 am discuss agritourism article read this morning with the great homemakerang
11:03 am try to consider a way to have my wife who is the the glory of man, feel glorious (awww, Ang here... hmm wonder if this is going to cost me :) HA!)
11:05 am look out and see that the pump is no longer running *note that this is while I'm working on bettering my marriage
11:30 am get the pump working again, needle is sticking in the carb from the moist, frigid air. Oil and gas is ok.
11:40 am headed to shop to work on manure spreader
NOON move spreader into shop, 3 bolts off spreader, start woodstove going in shoppe, pump still going, tite for essa with der family
12:38 back to the spreader, pump still running
1:15 turn off pump, return to the spreader
4:30 roll out round bale for beef herd
4:45 muck the horse stalls
4:55 eat cookies brought from daughter to me, fresh baked, close up shoppe
5:00 ask son to unload firewood into wash house. make phone calls and discuss the evening
take call for girth around back to front of Jim and Bill for custom jingle bell harness!
into the eve, made stir fry for kids, Ang and eldest go out for some time, play lincoln loggers and put babies to bed
I think you have heard enough now. The show must go on...
good day!
I will tell you, this is the easiest time on the farm! WINTER is... I almost feel sorta lazy. But, summer is coming! We can talk then about that lazy feeling. It will kick us in the rear end hard before you know it.
Speaking of summer, its going to be warm here the next couple of days, highs in the upper 30's! Yes! No snow in site either. Today, I was out cross country skiing in the sunshine, it felt great!
Ok, now for the Gentle Giant's journal entry yesterday, aka "GG". He took the challenge literally, and it true man fashion, he put down each time and entry in a more "mannish" way... You will see :)
4 am load stoves, bring down The Great Him into our bed but change diaper first
4:15 am return to slofa
6:00 am start coffee, dedicate day to the Lord
6:30 am play with baby girl and load stoves again, get dressed and brush teethers
7:30 am wake up youngy and make bobbymore for The Great Him
7:45 am check voice mails
8:00 am call over to LV to see if they need a lift this way
8:05 am start reading Psalm 95&96
8:30 am take a call to see if a family can use horses to move a building with the fresh snow
8:40 am finish devotion and personal time and go to shire to try and get plumbing unfrozen! This is me praying
9:30 am finish thawing reservoir and pipes, begin to fill reservoir
9:35 work to finish morning chores
1o am turn out horses
10:15 am come in to discipline the Great Him
10:35 am finish phone call with mulch layer manufacturer in PA
10:55 am call plastic culture company in PA
11 am discuss agritourism article read this morning with the great homemakerang
11:03 am try to consider a way to have my wife who is the the glory of man, feel glorious (awww, Ang here... hmm wonder if this is going to cost me :) HA!)
11:05 am look out and see that the pump is no longer running *note that this is while I'm working on bettering my marriage
11:30 am get the pump working again, needle is sticking in the carb from the moist, frigid air. Oil and gas is ok.
11:40 am headed to shop to work on manure spreader
NOON move spreader into shop, 3 bolts off spreader, start woodstove going in shoppe, pump still going, tite for essa with der family
12:38 back to the spreader, pump still running
1:15 turn off pump, return to the spreader
4:30 roll out round bale for beef herd
4:45 muck the horse stalls
4:55 eat cookies brought from daughter to me, fresh baked, close up shoppe
5:00 ask son to unload firewood into wash house. make phone calls and discuss the evening
take call for girth around back to front of Jim and Bill for custom jingle bell harness!
into the eve, made stir fry for kids, Ang and eldest go out for some time, play lincoln loggers and put babies to bed
I think you have heard enough now. The show must go on...
good day!
Monday, January 11, 2010
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
January 10, 2010 Day 6
It is Sunday today but we still have to load the stoves, even the little ones get in on the action... Only 2 years old and such a willing little heart!
after some church as a family we eat, read, nap and play... We really need this day to rest. This Sunday was our "off" Sunday and we did not fellowship with a group like we did last Sunday.
many games are played on Sunday
Dinner was leftovers from yesterday (we made triple the amount yesterday so we could relax and just warm up food in the kitchen cook stove)
It is Sunday today but we still have to load the stoves, even the little ones get in on the action... Only 2 years old and such a willing little heart!
after some church as a family we eat, read, nap and play... We really need this day to rest. This Sunday was our "off" Sunday and we did not fellowship with a group like we did last Sunday.
many games are played on Sunday
Dinner was leftovers from yesterday (we made triple the amount yesterday so we could relax and just warm up food in the kitchen cook stove)We sang some hymns again. "Bringing in the Sheaves", "Marching to Zion", "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and "Power in the Blood"!
Some ice skating, some sledding and then later tonight some popcorn.
All ready to face the day tomorrow. School is back in session and I just have a feeling it will be hard to real them in! I am looking forward to a schedule!
SURPRISE: Tomorrow the Gentle Giant "GG" will be journaling for us...
some do simple sewing projects on the treadle sew machine...
Sunday, January 10, 2010
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
*** see another video just updated below as well
January 9, 2010 Day 5
January 9, 2010 Day 5
We had a successful ice day today! Not much to journal because today was all about the ice. It happened to be a beautiful day, high of 42 degrees! THE SUN WAS OUT! The guys even had their coats off and were breakin' a good sweat! The horses behaved as well! They almost seemed proud to help...
Noon dinner was meatloaf, potatoes, jello, salad, banana cake and church cookies! Awesome!
We had a good turnout, everyone was safe, no hurts (ok, the GG is hurtin' tonight)
We will be sleeping good tonight. We will be enjoying the ice this summer to make ice cream and more!
Some ice questions answered ***THE IDEA BEHIND AN ICE HOUSE IS: We have ice all summer. We bring in a cube of ice about every 3 days, set it in a chest freezer for our "refrigerator". We do not use it for drinks as it is not clean ice (pond water). This is the 2nd year we have done it, we hope to have it last through the fall so we do not have to buy ice. This year it lasted to the end of April, beginning of May. You would be surprised how you do not need a refrigerator. It is for convenience, although a wonderful convenience, it isn't necessary (this is a relative word).
The only thing left today is get some sawdust to spread on the ice and the inside of the ice house (we are trying something new this year) to complete it this year.
I hope you enjoy the photos. Feel free to ask any questions about today :)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
January 8, 2010 Day 4Today was a blur. A wonderful blur! So many unexpected gifts from the Lord!
Breakfast consisted of rye organic rolled oats with kefir, dried fruit, sucanat and 7 grain cereal sprinkled on top. Then a wonderful addition to breakfast, our dear friend Cowboy Keith showed up!
Dishes!!!
It was a very busy day but rather uneventful, just busy… I will sleep well tonight due to a lot of fresh air.
Wood!!!!
I firmed up ice days for tomorrow… Keeping an account all day of the changing times until I find them firm here at 8:29pm
Chores were good, horses were wild this morning! It must be in the air.
GG and Keith went to the farm again were they were cutting ice. They got to enjoy a hearty lunch. The food was meatloaf, potato noodles, homemade orange ice-cream, and homemade bread with blueberry jam and baked beans. They did some errands with our friends and then they came back to the farm for some guy shop stuff.
WOOD
We ran the pump today for 2 hours to fill the tank in the top of the barn for gravity feed to the house (the normal way we always do it). We have very good water! I am happy for that. No aftertaste or anything. We do this daily but I have not written about this.
The girls and I meal planned the big dinner for ice days tomorrow. Meatloaf, salad, potatoes, banana sour cream cake and church cookies! Maybe a few more things. This MONDAY, diet day for ang! I have that last 10-15 to loose since baby born and its going on 8 months so its time before I becomes a permanent fixture.
OUTHOUSE PATROL
1:50 pm, prayed for farm girl cyn as she is in knee surgery!
Ruthie and I did a few errands today to get caught up for school starting on Monday. We went to the bank and more! She was fairly certain she saw “O’rock Obama” in the bank parking lot… She knew him by “his walk”, her words (you must know her that she was so serious when she said this) She also saw a bright light at dusk and wondered if the light was “people in China or just pollution?”… I love it!
We talked of some more irons in the fire. Can there be anymore? YES! A resounding yes! It is still a miracle from the Lord we are surviving on our income but we must continue to be diligent to find creative ways to earn a living from the farm.
DISHES
Reload woodstoves for the umpteenth time (all winter we have a minimum of 2 going at all times and with laundry we start a 3rd and in the shoppe a 4th and the cottage the 5th!)
Our 2nd eldest gave the 2 babies baths tonight! I love the smell of baby hair! I love babies too! Well, you must have figured that out by now.
Did I say dishes again?????
The kinner and GG shoveled a large area of the pond again as tonight it will be in the single digits and that will freeze the ice thicker for ice cutting tomorrow. I am praying for safety tomorrow for everyone that will be here! I wonder if the horses, Bill and Jim, know what work they are up for tomorrow yet?
A HUGE BLESSING AGAIN: Liz D. dropped off supper tonight like she does a few times a month of Friday nights! A large pan of fresh Lasagna from Olive Garden with a wonderful salad and sandwiches from Panerra! I wasn’t up for cooking tonight as we are getting ready for tomorrow having another full dinner table and more. This was a huge blessing! THANKS LIZ if you are reading this! I will tell you more about Liz some other time.
And then, God delivered a gift to the farm again… A brand new torch with all the parts for welding for the GG… We have so many, many things to fix here. GOD, you are GOOD! You know the little things we need and the big things and I am just amazed once again for his provisions.
It is 8:47 pm. GG and Ruthie are playing the game of snout, The Great Him is giving horse orders, “Jim back up, HOA Bill, he almost says Pearl…”
The oldest 3 are ice skating, I am yawning, Baby girl is sleeping and it has been a great day.
I have no idea how I will journal tomorrow with as busy as it will be. It might be all pictures! What do you think? I hope to meet some of you tomrrow as well!
gut nacht...
Friday, January 8, 2010
Ice Days UPDATED 8:00 PM 1-8-10
SEE UPDATED TIMES BELOW!
Ice Day Alert PASS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Looks to be tomorrow, Saturday January 9, 2010 going on throughout the day. Check out the blog later this evening for an update on firmer times, etc. I wanted to give you a heads up as early as I could.
We want to share with you this wonderful glimpse of our life. Come watch the true old-fashioned art of cutting ice off of our pond with a buzz saw, lifting the blocks with tongs unto the bob-sled and then hauling the ice by our Belgian team to the ice house! It’s the coolest thing going on in West Michigan this Saturday!
We will be taking a private lunch break approximately 1:00-2 pm. PLEASE do not visit the farm during this time.
***UPDATE!!! We suggest coming after 10:00 am until 1 PM and then from 2:15 pm until dark. (earlier the better just in case so you won't miss it)
Please note: $3- a person. We do not have any inside facilities available to accommodate anyone whatsoever. Please do not visit the farm during the private lunch time. YOUR CHILDREN ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND MUST BE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES even if we know you :) Please do not come to the house, you will see someone to guide you to the areas where you will be. There is no picture taking whatsoever. We allow you next to the ice to watch and near the ice house, please note this is a dangerous event. We cannot allow anyone in the barns, nor can we give tours of the farm or cottage etc. on this day. If you can follow these rules for your safety, we would love to see you here!
Please feel free to call the farm with any questions you might have at 616 566 8481, we would love to meet you! ~The Gentle Gian and HomemakerAng
MAPLE VALLEY OFF-GRID FARM
2902 AMBLE RD
CORAL MI 49322
PARKING ON ROAD ONLY PLEASE SO HORSES CAN GET THROUGH!
read more about ice cutting here from the archives
Ice Day Alert PASS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Looks to be tomorrow, Saturday January 9, 2010 going on throughout the day. Check out the blog later this evening for an update on firmer times, etc. I wanted to give you a heads up as early as I could.
We want to share with you this wonderful glimpse of our life. Come watch the true old-fashioned art of cutting ice off of our pond with a buzz saw, lifting the blocks with tongs unto the bob-sled and then hauling the ice by our Belgian team to the ice house! It’s the coolest thing going on in West Michigan this Saturday!
We will be taking a private lunch break approximately 1:00-2 pm. PLEASE do not visit the farm during this time.
***UPDATE!!! We suggest coming after 10:00 am until 1 PM and then from 2:15 pm until dark. (earlier the better just in case so you won't miss it)
Please note: $3- a person. We do not have any inside facilities available to accommodate anyone whatsoever. Please do not visit the farm during the private lunch time. YOUR CHILDREN ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AND MUST BE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES even if we know you :) Please do not come to the house, you will see someone to guide you to the areas where you will be. There is no picture taking whatsoever. We allow you next to the ice to watch and near the ice house, please note this is a dangerous event. We cannot allow anyone in the barns, nor can we give tours of the farm or cottage etc. on this day. If you can follow these rules for your safety, we would love to see you here!
Please feel free to call the farm with any questions you might have at 616 566 8481, we would love to meet you! ~The Gentle Gian and HomemakerAng
MAPLE VALLEY OFF-GRID FARM
2902 AMBLE RD
CORAL MI 49322
PARKING ON ROAD ONLY PLEASE SO HORSES CAN GET THROUGH!
read more about ice cutting here from the archives
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
January 7, 2010 Day 3
GG and I talk about the plans, looks like we will be cutting ice on Saturday here at the farm. This can change of course with the wind but that is when it is looking to be. I immediately mentally start planning on what we will have for the big noon dinner! Last year, this was a highlight of your year of our life actually, ice days!
We bring in today’s wood and stack by both stoves to keep a hot fire. IT’S COLD today!
I really did not sleep that well last night at all. I am realizing I am not getting outside enough. THAT will change TODAY! The fresh air does a body good, the vitamin D and more. I know ice days will help with this to get my “energy” out. I won’t be awake at night after this. I use this time to pray and pray, I figure God has me up for a reason.
For breakfast we eat hot apple dumplings from yesterday with milk on them and coffee.
“Christmas” vacation is getting very old… I can’t wait till Monday for a schedule again. ARGH!
12 yo starts the morning chore routine. The others start with daily inside jobs; I log on computer to post and do some checking and take some phone calls. 1 phone call was very interesting.
I find that GG will be cutting ice for sure and I need to drive him and our son to the farm.
We go to the farm and they invite us in for a BIG dinner at noon. 12 at the table and 5 at least are in school for the day, more or less, I can’t keep track. It’s neat that the mother (of 14) is sitting next to her 20 year old son on one side and her 2 year old on the other side and kitty corner to the 2 year old is her 2 year old granddaughter! The neatest thing, she is beautiful and only looks about 20 something herself. I haven’t figured that out yet. As of late I feel a little beaten down and ok tired…
We talk about family trees. The father of this home is 1 of 21 children (17 living). His parents are still living. They have 175 grandchildren. Some are married and have children as well and they have stopped counting but figure there is at least over 200 so far in the lineage! WOW! 175 grandchildren and counting… WHAT a treasure. They are RICH! And to think, that grandma still sends a birthday card to each one! They say that is what keeps her going, she sends a card every other day at least.
I clean up with the women and then use their new inside toilet. WOW, pretty cool! We want to hire him someday to put an inside toilet in here (off-grid style). Someday…
I leave to finally get to that bulk food grocery store that I was going to on Monday. I should have gone on Monday as it threw the entire week off, but life does go on. Something how 1 small event can goof everything up.
I get to the bulk foods and I buy Sucanat, rye oats, 7 grain oatmeal, dried unsulphured fruits, stevia yogurt and a few more things. Oatmeal is a big morning staple here. Leftover oatmeal is baked for granola. I bought kombucha tea as I somehow even killed my Scooby! And to think I can grow a garden…
The store owner asks me what religion I am… I don’t look different today but I will take this as a God thing and use to witness. I simply state, “I am born again and love the Lord”, and he says, “I thought so!” and then he gave me his testimony as well… I am glad I gave off that feeling to the man that I love the Lord and follow Him. It is not I but He that worketh through me… Some days, well, He might not have gotten those vibes… catch my drift? Yikes.
I come out of the health/bulk food store and it is really snowing and blizzarding actually. I get in the mini-van and pray for safety for the roads are BAD.
I am heading back to get the GG at the farm but have about 2 hours to spare so I decide to park at the local library to do some FAST online research.
I am at the library and cannot believe how fast the internet speed is.
I come out of the library and the blizzard is worse, I can barely see and I head to our friends farm to get the GG.
I finally make it and have traveled only 25 mph for about 7 miles on back country roads praying the fan belt does not fly off on this van, as this happens quite a bit when you drive through drifts.
I get to the farm and see my son’s hat running with the others in the barn. They boys, all ages 13 and under milked 9 cows by hand in about 25 minutes and got about 135 lbs. of milk! Our 12 yo is in his glory with these boys. I walk in; they all talk my ear off, SO CUTE! They show me the miniature horses. I am still nervous in barns. It is pitch dark with only headlamps, loose horses and I walk through a row of milking cows rear ends and pick up the pace in the dark so I will not be kicked.
GG and the father are not back from ice cutting, already an hour late. I pray nothing has happened. I go back in the barn with the boys. They are playing hide and seek. I come out of the barn and can hear in the pitch dark outside the horses (sleigh bells) coming off into the distance. I wait. This team is nothing like ours, young, nervous and unpredictable but these men that drive them are nothing like us. They were born by Belgians. They can handle any horse it seems. They do deal bravely but with caution as his very own brother, “born by a horse” was kicked in the head in his 40’s leaving a wife and family of 10 behind…
As they turn the sleigh and stop I said I was glad to see them here safe as it is quite blizzard. GG and his beard are frozen in snow. They said they broke down. The sleigh back end broke through the ice (9,600 lbs of ice, just shy of 5 tons) with the horses off the ice fortunately. Horses are smart; they really don’t like to go on the ice because they know the danger. They really knew what was going on today after the ice broke. GG and the father had to unload the entire sleigh with the tongs, less only 20 blocks to get the horses to pull the sleigh out of the drink.
Then when he is telling me this, in the pitch dark blizzard mind you, the horses rear up and take off down a hill, sleigh, ice and all and jackknife the sleigh… All this with the father on the sleigh yelling HOA! I ran and prayed.
It all ended up ok but the horses kept acting up.
We left for home on the blizzard roads, all 3 of us to get to our farm and prayed for safety.
We come home and eat homemade pizzas.
We have our nightly family time around the table with a singa (PA deutsch) to end the night. (See the hymn sings beginning below… The Great Him LOVES to sing and we are working about the LOUD part of it but don’t want to squash his sincerity… you will understand) We really end the evening by the couch with a family prayer.
We go to bed way too late. I am thinking next year we are going to celebrate Advent as a family and with our good friends. Evie peaked my interest with the Jessie Tree and more… GG is hurtin and tossin’ and turning from being outside all day in the elements and lifting the iceblocks... I am praying a lot. Praying for people in our path that we have met, praying for protection for our family and praying for our future. GG lies there and says, he has 2 more days this! Wow… we are getting old-ER. 11:45 pm
Thursday, January 7, 2010
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
Day 2, January 6, 2010
I awoke about 7 am to a barrage of people in the bed… Today is old Christmas, “alt Christmas”, the 12th day of Christmas. We have our morning devotions and we read about the 12 days of Christmas song and it actual spiritual meaning of a secret way to teach the children in England their catechism. Next year we are doing Christmas the alt way, we will put the tree up on Christmas eve and celebrate form that day forward until January 6! I need coffee…
For breakfast today we ate Irish Oatmeal aka “steel cut oats”. That is a staple here with our honey or maple syrup and milk over it. I soak it sometimes the night before in yogurt or kefir for the next day. When we have granola or dried fruit we sprinkle that on top too. We use 8 cups water to 4 cups oats and we eat it all…
I awoke about 7 am to a barrage of people in the bed… Today is old Christmas, “alt Christmas”, the 12th day of Christmas. We have our morning devotions and we read about the 12 days of Christmas song and it actual spiritual meaning of a secret way to teach the children in England their catechism. Next year we are doing Christmas the alt way, we will put the tree up on Christmas eve and celebrate form that day forward until January 6! I need coffee…
For breakfast today we ate Irish Oatmeal aka “steel cut oats”. That is a staple here with our honey or maple syrup and milk over it. I soak it sometimes the night before in yogurt or kefir for the next day. When we have granola or dried fruit we sprinkle that on top too. We use 8 cups water to 4 cups oats and we eat it all…
(my morning foggy eyes in the bed for devotions, not pictured 5 other people :) )I read Psalm 69 today and it is SO appropriate for today, for this past year for NOW.
I log onto the computer to post Jan 5 and blogger erases it all. All this while I have no computer battery so I wait to come back to this in the afternoon… UGH.
Breakfast dishes are being done
Woodstoves are being loaded and reloaded
12 yo son starts the morning chore routine (read that on Day 1 of winter chores). Sometimes we do chores than eat breakfast, other times not. I would like to say it is the same each day but we are pretty flexible…
We have a family meeting after chores to regroup for the week as things seemed to have gone off course slightly.
We start lunch… Is it that time already? We head to the basement for some canned goods; while you are down their girls, grab some chicken stock for supper for chicken noodle soup!
I log onto the computer to post Jan 5 and blogger erases it all. All this while I have no computer battery so I wait to come back to this in the afternoon… UGH.
Breakfast dishes are being done
Woodstoves are being loaded and reloaded
12 yo son starts the morning chore routine (read that on Day 1 of winter chores). Sometimes we do chores than eat breakfast, other times not. I would like to say it is the same each day but we are pretty flexible…
We have a family meeting after chores to regroup for the week as things seemed to have gone off course slightly.
We start lunch… Is it that time already? We head to the basement for some canned goods; while you are down their girls, grab some chicken stock for supper for chicken noodle soup!
(looking at the mail) Lunch is homemade bread, lettuce, homemade chicken bologna, zuke jam and GG brought home DORITOS yesterday so of course he TRUMPS me in the parent department, at least for today J
We eat; clean up, afternoon chores begin… We dress the great him in heavy clothing and boots in hopes of tiring him out after his outside play time so he takes a LOOOOOOONG afternoon nap!
The plan above works well and we bring him in after an hour and he is fast asleep.
All the while we are inside loading stoves and doing some odd outdoor chores, sweeping vesh house, organizing laundry and sweeping front porch.
I make a grocery list for the month… I have put this off to long, I think tomorrow I will have to actually get groceries at the bulk food store, etc. to enhance what we are eating. I killed my kefir, is that even possible? So I need new kefir grains, up the road for Maple Syrup as we are out and I pray for peace.
We eat; clean up, afternoon chores begin… We dress the great him in heavy clothing and boots in hopes of tiring him out after his outside play time so he takes a LOOOOOOONG afternoon nap!
The plan above works well and we bring him in after an hour and he is fast asleep.
All the while we are inside loading stoves and doing some odd outdoor chores, sweeping vesh house, organizing laundry and sweeping front porch.
I make a grocery list for the month… I have put this off to long, I think tomorrow I will have to actually get groceries at the bulk food store, etc. to enhance what we are eating. I killed my kefir, is that even possible? So I need new kefir grains, up the road for Maple Syrup as we are out and I pray for peace.
(playing with cherry playdough)GG and 12 yo make more and new nest boxes for the hens and change the direction of the boxes for solar facing, hoping to get more eggs as the production has gone down drastically with the shorter days. We don’t push our hens with the lights.
I make an announcement that I think we should clean the landing and some bickering begins as to who does more work around here. It seems that we all think we do more work than everyone else.
I scratch that idea as we are still on Christmas vacation and realize they do work pretty darn hard compared to most so we opt to have some computer time instead, each one about 20 minutes (the oldest 4)
I organize some letters we have received and I just want to say THANK YOU for all of your encouragement and KEEP them coming!
We get the mail, a huge occasion daily here (something to look forward to) and we are surprised, ok shocked at the mail. I ran to the house to show the GG. Things get twisted sometimes it seems.
(filing letters) Cherry Playdough
½ C. Salt, 2 ½ C. flour, 3 T. corn oil, 1 T. alum, 2 c. boiling water, 1 package of cherry kool-aid. Mix dry ingredients, add oil and water, knead until smooth.
Our 2nd eldest makes homemade apple dumplings with our apples; I make the chicken noodle soup and add some carrots. She also decides to make quick tapioca. (Note to self, you cannot eat all of this just because it is here)
Called dear friend Farm Girl Cyn and encourage and pray for her upcoming surgery this FRIDAY!
We tell stories and impersonations of the last year, LOTS of fun! We sing... We chat.
GG comes home much later than planned. Thankfully he shared a meal with someone so we didn't have to make another meal at this hour :). We talk about the farm plans for tomorrow, about today, about the future.
(putting away new canned goods and getting some for dinner and supper from the cellar)
(eating chicken noodle soup and getting ready for hymn sing later)Its 10:45 pm and off to bed. I realize I have not been getting to bed at goodtimes lately and I need to get outside more… there is always tomorrow!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
a 7-day Journal of Living off-grid at Maple Valley Farm WINTER
The only photo I remembered to take at 4:30 pm our daughter having hot cocoa after ice-skating with her friend. More photos tomorrow!
Day 1 January 5, 2010 Winter chores are always easier!
Day 1 January 5, 2010 Winter chores are always easier! Around 4 AM The Great Him is brought to our bed from a restless sleep. I have abandoned the genius idea of cloth diapers for overnight due to the wetting through. I had found no logic on an off-grid farm to have 2 babies wetting through double cloth diapers, PJS, aka waking up cold, wet and crying, and wet sheets and blankets that must be washed in a wringer washer with water heated up by a wood fired kettle and then lined dried each an every day with the hope that they would be dry in the winter months by nap time :). Trust me, I already tried it WAY to long! GG reloads wood stoves to get a hotter fire for later and makes coffee to be ready later.
Around 5 AM the GG (Gentle Giant) lights the oil lamps, gets up to check coffee (we can tell how far along the coffee is by the "sound" of the wood cook stove) and He gets ready for the day. He awakes our eldest to get ready for a road trip to pick up the cottage workers 2 communities over.
At 6:30 AM I awake with 2 babies in my bed that are stirring and feel like I have been run over by a large farm implement, horse drawn of course! The GG and eldest are leaving to pickup the workers for the cottage and say a quick goodbye. Our 12 yo son gets up to start the daily morning choring. I have 4 helpers inside with me. (ok only 2 are really helpers that are left inside)
Winter chores that our 12 yo son pretty much manages on his own with some help at times are feeding the beef herd, rolling round hay bales to the hay ring (this takes about 3 kinner or 1 kinner and a father as they are HEAVY)... must be careful not to have real hungry cows in a herd or they try to eat the hay as you roll it! Drinking the horses. We bring the horses to water and drink them about 4 times a day manually to a spot in the barn. We are very excited that this year (so far :)) we have mastered the art of keeping all water in barns and to the house (our holding water tank for the house is in the upstairs of the barn to gravity feed to the house) UNFROZEN! Last year, we had frozen water most of the winter aka NO WATER TO THE HOUSE :). He then feeds the chickens, pigs, the best organic grass hay to our horses right from this farm, feed goats, cats, dogs our best alfalfa bales to our beef herd. Checks all waterers for fresh water. LOTS of shoveling of the mish! 1 full size Belgian horse poops about 1 barrel of poop a day at least!(yuhp, those big barrels) We have 2 Belgains and then a small beef herd. Lets just say POOP is a big part of our lives. Great for fertilizer and great for compost and we need to find other great things for poop. Any ideas would be appreciated. We already sell it :) Which brings me to our son coming in to change into his 2nd pair of clean pants for the day due to poop...
The GG and eldest end up eating breakfast with our friends. They leave to go to a few farms over to see if they can barter rubber wheels for steel wheels. It ended up not being a good fit so they went to another farm and it ended up not working so they head home for the cottage work.
In the meantime I am getting ready, feeding breakfast to others and log into computer to do some farm checks and make calls around the area for extra round bales for the farm. We feed some of our hay to the herd but the team always gets first dibs of our hay so we will have to buy some more round bales SOON!
Eldest and GG come back and deliver workers to cottage. I am ready to leave with eldest to go up the road to get more cocoa for hot choc for 11 guests coming inside the farmhouse for lunch (a sliding, ice skating party for the kinner) and a game plan for lunch for the cottage workers, all 5 of them (ended up being only 4 of them)
We stop up the road for cocoa and have a request to pick up a few things in town. We go into town (7 miles) and get the stuff and come back to the community to trade it for homemade bread and smoked meats instead of cash (aka I did not have to make the bread and butcher the hog and smoke it :) much better use of $1.80!)
I remember I did not read the Psalm I planned on today :( yet...
We return home, make a quick lunch for the cottage workers. 2 eldest girls run lunch to cottage workers, son is drinking horses again and checking for eggs. I am making lunch for the 11 guests. elder girls return and start a recipe (**NOTE again to self, try NO new recipes before company is coming) The Lazy Day Wife Cake (weird name, we thought it must mean easy) was very complicated and not real tasty but later when the guests arrived the children did seem to enjoy it. Guest start arriving at 1230 PM and we all ate at 130 PM, for lunch we have homemade chicken bologna from our chickens, rye bread, zucchini jam, lettuce, cheese and water. I am dodging farm phone calls. Some I take, some I don't. One call is for an appointment this evening at 730 PM to finish up 2009 farm business. We will attend this appointment later in the evening.
Meanwhile (this is actually right before our 11 guests come) (we still are on bookwork school vacation till this Monday) 12 yo son is building in cottage with 2 other young men (what a treasure at 12 to learn to build with some older boys that are like minded! and with your Dad!) He is having a lot of fun, I run out to check on them and GG has a gun in hand and I ask him what he is doing thinking an animal is in the cottage or something and he says he is getting water. Getting water? The well pitcher pump has been out of use for about 4 years so he shoots a 22 down the pipe 3 times and HOUSTON! We have a geyser of water in the cottage kitchen! YEE HAW! BTW, did you ever imagine any and ALL remodeling here goes on off-grid! It is VERY challenging and I always think about when we had electricity and did our addition on the old place how much easier it seemed. But, we seem to have mastered it now through an OLD generator that shuts on and off constantly :) and the kind gesture of our friend letting us use a newer generator! THANKS KEITH!
Children are sledding. I am still praying always in my mind for courage for the life we live. There is a lot that goes on here I choose not to write about...
Our guests have a great time talking about remodeling, NOURISHING TRADITIONS eating, homeschooling and more.
The kinner come in from the cold (see photo above) all 14 of them :) and enjoy getting warmed up. The Great Him has not taken a nap nor played outside and is being a healthy 2 year-old by trying to stand on the treadle sewing machine with matches and more.
NOTE dishes have been washed 3 times now!
Woodstove has been reloaded at least 12 times...
OUTHOUSE PATROL
GG comes into tell me he is taking cottage guests home and that they got a lot done. This is at about 5:15ish and 12 yo son starts night choring with another sibling. I should note it is nice that the goats and cow are dry and are waiting to freshen. It is very cold and even thought the teats warm your hands, it is easier not to worry about milking twice a day!
The kinner and I eat leftovers for supper and clean up. GG gets home from farm errands and drop offs. He eats dinner and we both leave together for that 7:30 PM appointment.
We have the farm appointment to finish up 2009 farm business and it went REALLY good, PRAISE the LORD! We arrive home about 9:45 pm. All kinner are up and energetic. We decide to wake baby girl to feed and change her so she sleeps ALL NIGHT HOPEFULLY! Of course all kinner are hungry again so we make 2 frozen yucky pizzas that we get from our fridge on the front porch. We sing a hymn, "Power in the Blood" and then talk and then get into bed. This all wraps up at 11:15 pm! All of us stay by the kitchen table where the brightest light is.
This was a long but good day... I fell asleep FAST!
a 7-day journal from Maple Valley off-grid Farm
I have been thinking how to let you in on little glimpses of our day this year but not coming up with a good way to do it.
Renee from Tail Spin Farm had a GREAT idea and a pretty simple one! What about a 7-day journal typed here of our day? Sounds like a great plan! Lord willing I will be back tomorrow to post today and so on... Thanks Renee! So, report back here each morning with a good cup of coffee and I will see all of you here again tomorrow.
We can leave the comments open to dialogue together and ask and answer questions! Whatcha think?
Off to journaling, and homeschooling, and workers for lunch and friends here and time for hubby and oh yes, we have an off-grid farm too so we will be busy... AND, I will take lots of real pictures... ~Homemakerang
UPDATE: This will be a quarterly post as seasons of work on a farm change drastically with the real seasons :) Check back for Spring, Summer and Fall here by clicking on the tag "a week at Maple Valley Farm" for April (spring), July (summer-busiest), October (harvest time) and January (winter, slowest time on our farm chore wise)
Renee from Tail Spin Farm had a GREAT idea and a pretty simple one! What about a 7-day journal typed here of our day? Sounds like a great plan! Lord willing I will be back tomorrow to post today and so on... Thanks Renee! So, report back here each morning with a good cup of coffee and I will see all of you here again tomorrow.
We can leave the comments open to dialogue together and ask and answer questions! Whatcha think?
Off to journaling, and homeschooling, and workers for lunch and friends here and time for hubby and oh yes, we have an off-grid farm too so we will be busy... AND, I will take lots of real pictures... ~Homemakerang
UPDATE: This will be a quarterly post as seasons of work on a farm change drastically with the real seasons :) Check back for Spring, Summer and Fall here by clicking on the tag "a week at Maple Valley Farm" for April (spring), July (summer-busiest), October (harvest time) and January (winter, slowest time on our farm chore wise)
Monday, January 4, 2010
some of the last few days on the farm!
They are standing TALL... Jim is getting back his groove too...
a view from, you guess it?
I love her style for the cold!
we take sleigh rides by ourselves :)
just bliss... I want to eat 'em up!
a view from, you guess it?
I love her style for the cold!
we take sleigh rides by ourselves :)
just bliss... I want to eat 'em up!What have you been up to?
Friday, January 1, 2010
a January 1, 2010 ANNOUNCEMENT
Don't be the last to know and a big talker like a jack of all trades... No more excuses! This is your year!
"Be the Master of the Land with Maple Valley Farms"
this farm will never be the same again and either will you...
~Matt and Angela
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