Quinoa-Berry Delight

Once in a while, we opt for a treat that would typically be a breakfast meal, served for our evening meal.  Quinoa-Berry Delight is one such recipe.  It is basically a griddle cake, flipped on a very hot cast-iron griddle, in a goodly amount of melted coconut oil.  Then, top with the berry sauce of your choice, and whipped cream.  The recipe follows... be prepared for the tastiest, most tender cakes, with mouth-watering toppings.

Quinoa Cakes:

1 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup ground almond meal
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 cup organic yogurt
3 organic eggs ( or farm fresh)
2/3 cup of melted ( not super hot) coconut oil
1 t. salt
3 t. aluminum free baking powder
approximately 2 cups of milk, or enough to mix a thick batter-like consistency

Put all dry ingredients into the bowl, then in a second bowl, mix all the wet ingredients and add slowly to the dry, mixing well as you pour.  The batter should be thick... so that when you put the scoopful onto the hot griddle, it will need to be spread out a bit with the back of the spoon.  Once you get the griddle hot, turn it down to low, or these will burn.  Spreading thinly will also help with scorching.  This batch makes enough to feed 4-6 people.

Berry Sauce:

Use 2 cups of any frozen or fresh organic berries... we like raspberries for this...
Put into a saucepan with 1 cup of water.  Gently simmer till the fruit is soft.  In a bowl mix 1/2 cup or organic cornstarch and 1 cup of water and stir till dissolved... Quickly add to the simmering fruit and stir. Stir until it begins to thicken.  Add additional water to desired consistency.

Whipped Cream Topping

1 pint carton of organic whipping cream
1 t. vanilla or maple flavoring
2 T organic confectioner's sugar

Put all ingredients into a mixer, with a whisking attachment.  Whisk on medium-high until the cream forms peaks.  Refrigerate until needed.

Enjoy!  ( warning: this is a carb-buster... :o/  )

Homemade Electrolyte Boost

 RECIPE

1t. Himalayan salt,
1t. baking soda, 
6 T honey or organic sugar,
1 T molasses, 
1 T elderberry syrup,
4 drops catnip tincture
... stir into 2 quarts of simmering water-removed from heat source...
 Refrigerate then serve cool... 

Forget the chemical-laden alternative from Stuff-Mart... "nourish" your poorly one

...time to move on

MAINE WINTER

It has been a quiet year, in 2012, on this blog.. from summertime onwards, life has dealt us a few blows, and we have also been absorbed with making our homestead ready for sale.  The past 8 years in Missouri have taught us much, and we have been truly blessed with amazing friends, family ties, and new experiences that will all be cherished for a lifetime.  For a plethora of reasons, the time has come for us to end our venture here and look to a new beginning.  The photo above is the general area that we will be relocating to, whenever our home/farm here is sold.  I am always hopeful that the new year will bring more time to work on this blog, but I truly cant make any promises, as I know all too well, how the fullness of our days, often affords little time to put a post together that is worthy of someone else's time to read.  I can try, and surely there will be some moments that are just too exciting not to share.  To all of you that have followed our journey here at Hobbit House Farm, on this blog, we thank you for your past patronage and invite you to continue to check in on our progress as we embrace the next leg of our journey.

You can read all about the farm for sale at this link:  Hobbit House Farm for sale

Gathering of the Clan...

This past Friday, the 25th of May, 2012, marked the close of one of our son's most dreaded life experiences... his high school education...  Dana, was able, through a special credits program, to graduate a year early, having passed all his qualifying exams in the top of his program group.  It goes without saying that he was more than a little elated.  And so, the celebrations began:... relatives showing their support coming in from several states away, including a step-grandchild we have never met....and the obligatory late night parties, to be enjoyed in the company of his classmates.  Hence, the very weary looking image of Dana in the photograph above... a tad bit too much party, and not quite enough sleep!  He begins a temporary position, at full time employment, for the next several months, until he settles on the course he will chart for his next few years.  The options are so many these days... but his graduation and certification from the firefighters training program at our local technical college, whilst attending his high school program, gives him a plethora of directions from which to choose.  We are very proud, once again, of yet another of our children, reaching adulthood... a few hiccups along the way, but with integrity and purpose intact, and the knowledge that he will take his place in society as a dedicated, contributing member.  Just one week prior, we saw two more of our adult children graduate from their college programs, one for the nursing field and the other from med school,... and now will deservedly be called Dr. Burton!

...and this is sweet little Caleb, the newest family member, son to our 26 yo son, Jacob and his partner, Amy....

... here are his mummy and daddy!

We had a lovely afternoon of touring the farm, and those who had not been here before got their first close encounter with some of our animal family members!  Amy, above, with dear Brynnah, who must think she is part puppy!

It was sooo hot that day, it was easy to peel off those layers, without reservation!  I dont think Jake had his shirt on most of the weekend... ;o)

The heat has been so miserable this month, the poor pastures are beginning to look crispy!

Ethan, who only recently moved away, would not have missed the chance to see his brother graduate... and so made the trip back too!  My goodness, they are all growing up so much... it doesn't stop at the age of majority... they continually surprise us with new found wisdom and perspective on life....

Ethan was also tremendously happy to be able to spend time with his BFF... and former girlfriend of 3 years, Ruby... they have both matured so much this past year, and it was a joy to see them being able to appreciate the good qualities in each other... made my mama-heart smile...

... and of course, the ever helpful, and now, all knowing, ( since she is presently 14ish!) Kendra, is just delightful in her own special way... She too, is yielding to the attraction of adulthood, and as with most 14yo's just cant wait to get there.  We are all holding on to our hats, as she will probably give us quite the jaunty ride toward her age of majority.

...this is how you will find me most days... with a little sweetie-pie strapped on... (avoiding the camera ;o) ) as I go about my tasks...  alongside this wonderful man...

my awesome hubby, without whom, nothing in our lives would be quite the same... he is the "facilitator", the "executioner of all the whirling plans of my imagination"... and he will tell you, there is a never ending supply of them...

And so life will go on... the arrival was filled with excitement, the in-between moments were tender, and proud, and touching, and to be treasured... and the parting was bittersweet... hoping that life will find them all  ( including the ones missing this weekend) making their way back home, one more time... to connect, to embrace one another, to catch up on so many missed moments.. and to be left with great hope for all that they can become in their lives, that we have worked so very hard to prepare them for... biggest of hugs to all of our children, near and far... where ever you are...

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Well, the last of the seeds have been planted, with some beds in the hoop house being planted for the second time already this Spring...  I thought I would list everything that I can recall, that we have planted this year.  There are 6 cultivated areas in our gardens: 1) the main garden of 100x100, 2) the 70' hoophouse, 3) the fruit orchard, 4) the berry arbor, 5) the feed plot, & 6) the cottage garden.  So I will divide this into those 6 categories, with some comments on progress in each.

1) The main garden:  green peas, basket gourds, pole beans, rhubarb, sunflowers, poppies, morning glory, cucumbers, tomatoes, okra, watermelon, pumpkin, acorn squash, assorted winter squash...then we also have about 60% of the area planted in buckwheat, chicory, and alfalfa, for the livestock and bunnies for the winter.  These items will be hand-mown and dried on the concrete parking pad, then bagged for use later.

2) The greenhouse:  spinach, kale, lettuce, rosemary, dill, parsley, green onions, tansy, lavender, fennel, pineapple sage, comfrey, hyssop, yarrow, mint, carrots, hollyhocks, watermelon, 3 varieties of peppers, tomatoes, beets, coneflower, chard, strawberries, valerian, tea-tree, zucchini, yellow squash, zinnia, pak choi...

3) The fruit orchard:  apple, plum, apricot, peach... we have had limited success with the fruit trees... due to the rust spots and the Japanese beetles,... we have had no harvestable fruit, since we ended up having to finally spay for the beetles, before they killed the trees altogether.  They have produced alot of fruit, just nothing that was chemical free for us to eat...

4) The berry arbor... we began with about 50+ plants, and last year, when the bushes and vines were laden with fruit, the Japanese beetles swarmed them, and we lost all but about a dozen of the hardiest one...just SAD!!!

5) The feed plot: this is a 1/4 ac plot that we plant with chicory and ladine clover, in order to feed the rabbits and goats this winter... however, since the 6 week long drought, and though we have tried to put water down a few times, it is so far from the well head, that the pressure isnt really enough to water effectively, and so we dont know if the seed is going to sprout, when we finally do get enough rain to make it grow... another SAD story... :o(

6)  The cottage garden:  hydrangea, lambs ears, bleeding heart, clematis, English Ivy, forget-me-nots, wisteria, winterberry, climbing hydrangea, daisy, marigolds, bouganvila, honeysuckle, junipers, roses, iris, geranium, lilies, lilac, butterfly plant, lavender, mint, lemon balm, sage, crab-apple, peony, snoballs, azaela, columbine, jasmine, and a few others that I dont know the names of.

....so, how does your garden grow?!

[ btw... the photo is the old wheelbarrow, in front of the cottage garden, that I painted and now use as a planter... ]

New On The Bookshelf, this month!

I thought I would share the little selection of books that will find their homes on the family bookshelves, at our house this month.  Those who know me well, can attest that I am an avid book collector... not the "Limited Edition" type, just the, "everything I really want to read about" type... Perhaps one of these titles may interest you and find its way onto your bookshelf, sometime soon!

The first one is:  The Art of Fermentation...by Sandor Katz

This brilliant work will, no doubt, become the standard for the "cultured" world, for years to come!  I can't wait to delve into the gold mine of information locked within its covers...

Second is:  The Preservation Kitchen...by Paul Virant

Again, this is a book that appeals to the secret foodie, deep within!  All manner of recipes and food crafting with pickles, preserves, and a few things I have never even heard of... it will tempt you from your comfort zone, to give something new a whirl!


Next up is:  Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes...by the same

I found this book to be the most extensive and helpful collection of herbal remedies to date.  It contains a plethora of information, and would make a great starter book to the novice and a valued resource to the more experienced ...


and lastly:  The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds... by Robert and Cheryl Gough

I have picked up a book or two on this subject over the years, but this has impressed me with the enormous wealth of information on this topic.  It could well become my single, go-to for reference on everything to do with saving seeds.  This book can walk you through the sometimes challenging process, from beginning to end.


Well, that's it for the family bookshelf this month... and anyone who has already read any of these books, feel free to leave a comment about your experience with these wonderful gems!

Connecting....

I felt compelled to share about the soul-nourishing afternoon we spent on our farm today.  The photo collage below is a collection from our winter of 2010-2011... , and while we do not presently have snow on the ground, the home, the land, and the animals, look very much the same today, as they did this time last year.  Hence, for the rest of this blog post, I am using photos from our albums, rather than shots from today's events.  We had no hands spare for the camera, and at a brisk 24 degrees with a wind-factor, I dont think I could have convinced anyone involved it was a particularly good photo op.  The stout farmhouse sits atop a hill that overlooks the valley that is our farm. 

It is a place of built of love, of dedication to an ideal, and of commitment to those who dwell therein.  

From the front decks, you can look down the drive... past the gated pastures as in this shot.... 

 About 50% of our land is devoted to grazing our Scottish Highland cattle.  It is a small herd, by any estimation, but have been the most fascinating creatures imaginable.  They are hardy, gentle, and magical! Below, you see two of our girls hand feeding one of them, the first week they arrived on our farm, over 3 years ago.

In this shot, you can see the majestic nature of the magnificent animals...so much resembling the ancient bison.

We have been lamenting the loss of a couple of calves this winter, due mainly to bullying of the older, more dominant animals in the herd, and also, to the inexperience of the young cows, who calved for the first time this past fall.  So it was decided today, that we must take action.... and we moved the remaining two calves up to another barn, to accompany our Jersey dairy calf, ( who is an unfortunate cross from our Highland bull... {that stinker just walked right over the pasture fencing and helped himself to our dairy cow} ) and so... This amazingly talented fellow ( who just happens to be descended from an earl, Robertson, dated around the 11th century, Scotland) along with....

....this sweetheart of a guy... Timothy, who is our last son still living at home ( and as such has inherited the charge of livestock water-boy and chief fire-wood splitter)  as well as myself, formed our plan and put it into action...

We cranked up the 4-wheeler, and rode into the cattle pasture, cornered the calves, one at a time, then loaded each one up onto the rack on the back and crept up the long winding drive to the waiting barn.

Those poor babies, they were more than a little skittish, looking up with pleading eyes...

We got them settled in, piled in the wonderful smelling hay, coaxed them to drink warm milk mixed with sorghum, and to munch on the handfuls of grain.  As our dear little dairy calf, Maisy, had never even seen another cow, she was more than a little put off.  Hmmm... she thought..." how dare you stick me in here with those ugly beasts"  ( well, after all, she is a lady with the prettiest little Jersey face, that just happens to be covered in Highland fur)  She stood aloof for a bit, but eventually decided that they were going to tolerable, at least.  

The entire experience... chasing the calves down, holding them safely on the ATV, while we walked them up, feeling their timid bodies in our hands, .... the thick soft fur, the smell of the hay and the feed... the cold wind biting at us...the fellowship of working together with those you love, for something you care dearly for... it is such profound food for the soul... It may not be everyone's "cup of tea"... but for me, I wouldn't have it any other way.  I can never see a time when I will not want to be on the land, in the elements, connected with what and whom I love... There have been many times that the cozy blanket of mist has rolled into the valley, and as I look out upon it, I can imagine myself in another time.  A time when many who came before us, did just as we have done today... perhaps with more simplicity of means, but connected in the very same way that we experience in our lives today.  Those opportunities exist all around us... wherever you are, you can find special ways to connect with what feeds your soul...

and so, I will finish this up with a sharing of one of the beautiful sunsets that we are blessed to observe many evenings...right from the front decks of our home.  Yes!, as the sun set today, I was truly grateful for the connections I am able to enjoy in my life... no mansion for me... just a simple, wooden house, on a hill, at the top of a valley... and in that place... there is much love....