Flying J Farm Journal -- Dedicated to preventing disease with food and lifestyle

Vol 10 (11) Chicken Soup

appy

Started Friday, April 11, 2008 – Streaming to Friends in 15 countries

It's been a quiet week on the Flying J Farm, my home, on the edge of glacial flow that left rolling hills to the east and flat prairie to the west. We got .17” of rain last night and .25” for the week. Before this week we got .7” so since last report we’ve had nearly an inch of rain. It had started to dry so this was good for the pastures. Looking outside this morning, it’s still a bit cloudy but the daffodils that someone brought out (was it you Pam?) and helped plant down by the creek are showing a full yellow bloom. They are beautiful!

Jensen Blows it on the Creek

Last year when I had the four-board fence put in for the horses, I thought it would be neat to cut down all the brush along the creek so we could see the fence and horse pasture from the sunroom kitchen and bath. Ted, Pete and others helped a lot to cut it all down, mostly it was willows that we cut down. This week, Pete pointed out that there was a lot of erosion going on to the bank on the far side of the creek (where we had cut down the willows). Yes, and it looked serious. If I did nothing about it, I could lose the whole bank and even the fence. It turns out (and I knew it) that willows are great trees (bushes) to stop erosion because they have a huge root structure. Boy did I blow it on that one!

It turns out that the willows that remained on this side of the creek were pushing the water channel across to the other side, causing the erosion. So, this week, I went out to see what I could do. Pete suggested trying to get a tractor in there with a front loader. I thought of hiring a back hoe to dig it out. I looked it over and got a shovel to see if I could dig it out. As I started, it looked like an insurmountable task to do by hand. I dug for a while with the shovel and then got that big tool, can’t remember the name, the one with an axe on one side and a hoe on the other, you know the one that people used to use in building railroad tracks. Anyway, the first time I tried it, it bounced back at me a lot more than I would expect from willows, dirt, or rocks. I hit it again and it bounced back even higher. I got the shovel out to see what I was dealing with and it turned out to be a big tire. That gave me some hope even though it was buried deep. I shoveled some more and managed to get a chain under it and with help from Big Massey pulled the tire out. That left a big gapping hole. It was obvious that this is what was causing the creek to channel to the other side.

So, I dug and hoed, and dug and hoed, and dug and hoed until I could dig and hoe no more. After a while, I managed to get a small tricked of the creek to flow my way and that gave me some encouragement. I dug and hoed some more and got more of the creek to flow. I dug it out deeper and got more to flow my way. Then I got the skid loader and moved the tire around to the other side where I wanted to block the water from flowing. I dropped the tire in just the right spot, a lucky toss of a 300-pound tire full of mud, with the skid loader which could just as easily fallen into the creek with me in it! That stopped a lot of the creek from flowing in that direction but then the level backed up rose and I had to dig and hoe some more to keep it from over flowing around the tire and washing out again. But then, I was tired and gave it up. I later went back to it, and did more digging and throwing the willows and dirt and stone onto and around the tire to create a dam. By now I was realizing and thanking God that I had lived (grew up) at a time before we had concrete curbs on every street because that is where I learned to create dams and waterways every spring in the mud along the streets. I feel so sorry for boys growing up these days who have to play with plastic toys made in China when they could be learning real creativity in the mud outside their house. So, the creek now has a new channel. First thing I did this morning was to go out and see if it was holding after the rain and it looks good so far. The final benefit of the exercise is that I have had some very sore muscles and I have slept very well this week.

Bridge

Another matter about the creek has been the need for a bridge across so we would not need to drive or walk along the fence to get to the beautiful nature paths in the little woods next to the horse pasture. On Saturday I had a wonderful group of 14 people come out to help including Ted and his brother and kids, Pete and Shirley, two CSA families, (Keith and Jackie’s family) and Lizzy a volunteer student from Denison. While the CSA folks help Elizabeth plant in the garden (thank you guys very much), Ted and his crew worked to clean up brush and cut fire wood in the woods. Pete, Shirley, Ted and I worked on setting the posts for the steel beams from the bridge and go it up. Then Pete, Shirley and I went out to the woods and cut down an 18 inch ash tree to make lumber for the bridge deck. We cut it into 4-5, 8-foot pieces and brought them in one at a time with the 656 tractor. The next day, Pete and Shirley cut up the first log while I cleaned out the barn and spread manure for this year’s corn. The blade got a bit dull and so I ordered more sawmill blades. When they arrived a couple of days ago, Pete and I cut up more logs and we now have almost all of the decking finished.

The plan is to build a covered walking and ATV bridge about 8 feet wide. The daffodils and other flowers will grace the side of the creek near the bridge and a shredded tire walkway lined with herbs will direct the eyes and the body to the bridge. I’m hoping it will make it impossible for anyone not to go for a walk on the trails through those beautiful woods where will be the stage and amphitheater and where I have been transplanting wild flowers from around the farm.

And then there were three

On Tuesday this week, Jen was here helping Elizabeth transplant in the garden (Thank you Jen) and while they did so the chickens were getting hot and “panting” so they let them out for the first time. At the same time, we were trying to teach Jewel not to chase the chickens. She has been fascinated by the chickens since we brought them home. She would move toward the chickens and if they ran she would give chase but come back when we scolded her. It all seemed good sport and the chickens did not seem stressed over it either. Well, the ladies became occupied with planting while the chickens and Jewel roamed. I was out spreading manure so I did not see it but I was told that Jen found a dead chicken in the yard and Jewel was looking guilty. Elizabeth came to me and said “what are we going to do about the dead chicken?” I did not want to be bothered and did not know what to do anyway so I said let’s just bury it. She went away for a minute and then came back saying, “It would a waste not to do something about the chicken”. So, I said, ok, we’ll do something. She went to the house to boil water and get the Joel Salitin book “Pastured Poultry” while I cut it’s head off and strung it up to drain the blood. There was no more blood.

Elizabeth read that the proper temperature for the water is 140 degrees so she measured it with a thermometer and pronounced it ready. I carried it out to the Garden Barn and dunked the dead bird, feathers and all into the hot water. She was reading the book as I did this and said that I was supposed to raise and lower the chicken in the hot water for one minute, so I did that. After about a minute, I layed the chicken on a cooler and started to pull out the feathers. Surprisingly, they came out extremely easily. We pulled them out until there were no more and then prepared a place to dissect the bird in the Garden Barn sink. As Elizabeth read the book, I worked the knife. First, you turn the chicken right-side-up and cut of the oil gland near the tail. Then you turn it over and carefully cut the skin only under the neck ahead of the breast and take out the crop and esophagus and cut of the neck itself. Then you go to the back and carefully slit the skin to expose the fat, which you want to save, and the guts. There you will reach in and pull out the gizzard, the heart, the liver (and save these) and the intestines. There, sadly, we also found the beginnings of four eggs that she would have faithfully left for us. We then washed it out fully inside and out. It was clear by now that when Elizabeth said “It would be such a waste” what she meant was, “It would be such a waste of an educational experience”. I love that attitude!! Thank you for sharing that with me!!

Elizabeth then took the bird inside and put it in a pot on the stove and boiled it for about 24 hours. She then added some veggies to it and later strained the result to make chicken stock. I believe that she saved the rest as well to be used for something else. Looking forward to chicken soup here at the farm.

Price of oil up to $112

This week the price of a barrel of crude oil hit a new record, $112 and the average price for gasoline hit a new record $3.35 per gallon in the US. Diesel fuel is well over $4.00 per gallon. Truckers went through Washington DC basting horns in protest. Food riots hit Haiti this week and our Government is into giving away money to the folks who borrowed to buy houses they could not afford. Three more airlines bit the dust this week. When will our government stop building and repairing roads and start building railroads?

CSA This year

Our CSA is now full for this year. We look forward to a great season in the garden and hope to form a community with our members. Some have already come out to help, thank you.

In the Greenhouse

The greenhouse has a lot more room in it now as most of the cold weather plants are in the garden. Elizabeth has started various herbs and flowers as well as many warm weather plants. All are doing very well under her direction.

In the Chicken Coop

As I said we are now down to three chickens but they continue to produce eggs. It almost makes one feel guilty considering all that they give to you, expecting so little in return. The new chicks that I ordered will be delayed until around the first of May but we are getting ready to start them in the basement with sawdust from the sawmill. Our new procedure is to put Jewel in her cage when we let the chickens out.

In the Pasture

We are now up to 11 healthy calves this year. Yesterday, I was feeling stressed over not capturing the latest calves for castration and ear tags. I brought in a new bale of hay (that I bought from organic farmer, David Rouse) and in doing so, managed to get most of the calves into the barn and confined in a smaller pen. Then, one by one, a captured them by slowly moving toward one of them and grabbing it by the hind leg and wrestling it to the ground. They had all grown quite a lot and were a handful to wrestle to the ground but I got three bulls and one heifer from that exercise. I later saw the last bull calve sleeping in the pasture near his mother and sneaked up to it and dived on it and got him taken care of. So, I’m caught up there too.

In the Garden

This week we (Elizabeth, CSAers, Jen and Lizzy) transplanted a lot of stuff including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, kale, arugula, bibb lettuce, romaine lettuce, and more that I can’t think of here. They also planted the peas (snow, sugar snap, and shelling) and radishes. We also got out the irrigation equipment and set it to work.

In the Woods

We felled one tree for making the bridge. It was so bid that we may have enough for the chicken coup as well.

In the Field

I managed to get the Cow barn cleaned out and the manure spread on the corn field. As I did so, on each trip it seemed that the grass had grown taller and I started to worry that I would have to mow it before I could plow it. So, I hooked up the offset disk to Big Massey and tried to plow. I got through a part of the field but ran into areas that were still to wet, so I gave it up. I still have to clean the horse barn anyway.

Mushroom Hunt

The next event here at the farm is the mushroom hunt. I believe we will have it on Saturday afternoon, May 3. Plan on seeing the woods in there best look with wild flowers everywhere. Bring a dish made with mushrooms as one ingredient. Children are encouraged, pets are not.

Grass-fed organic beef

I am now out of ground beef again but the next cow goes in Sunday so we should have it after that. Here are my prices for organic, grass-fed beef per pound:

Filet (tenderloin) $18.00

New York Strip $11.00

Porterhouse Steak $14.00

Ribeye Steak $12.00

T-bone Steak $11.00

Top Loin (Club steak) $8.00

Sirloin Steak $8.00

Flank Steak $8.00 (Sold out for now)

Skirt Steak $8.00

Round Steak $6.00

Rump Roast $7.00

Chuck Roast $6.00

Stew Beef (boneless) $6.00 (sold out but you can use round steak)

Short ribs $5.00

Shank $4.50

Ground beef $4.50 (Sold out)

Patties $4.75 (Sold out)

Beef for boiling $3.00

Liver $4.00 (sold out for now)

Soup Bones $2.00

Heart, tail, kidneys $2.00

Other products of the farm

Flour (From which you can make powder milk biscuits that give shy persons the courage to get up and do what needs to be done). We are offering at whole wheat flour ($1.00 per pound), whole wheat bread flour ($1.25 per pound), and spelt flour ($1.50 per pound) milled while you wait.

Maple Syrup

We now have some great maple syrup. Pints are $8, Quarts, $15, and half-gallons, $29.

Until next week:

May your life be crowded with unexpected joys. May the Lord smile at you today. Be with someone who will make you laugh a little this week.

Dick, NBF, not a slave to fashion, the clock, or technology, saying, If you care for the Creator, care for His creation.

The Flying J Farm Motto: “Restoring the land, the buildings, and the people.”

Flying J Farm Website: www.flyingjfarm.com

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food."

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame and diet, and the causes of disease." Thomas Edison

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher, and he gives the farmer great wisdom.” Isaiah 28:29

Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round, Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

From Gail in South Africa:

Mr. Common Sense
> >
> > Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who
> > has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was,
> > since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He
> > will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
> > Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the
> > worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
> >
> > Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more
> > than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in
> > charge).
> >
> > His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but
> > overbearing r egulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy
> > charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended
> > from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for
> > reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
> >
> > Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the
> > job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly
> > children.
> >
> > It declined even further when schools were required to get parental
> > consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but
> > could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to
> > have an abortion.
> >
> > Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses;
> > and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
> > Common Sense took a beating when you
> > couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar
> > could sue you for assault.
> >
> > Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to
> > realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in
> > her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
> >
> > Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his
> > wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He
> > is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now,
> > Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.
> >
> > Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If
> > you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do
> > nothing.'

Also from Gail:

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.

I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her. You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith, and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at thepost office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, "To Meredith" ...in an unfamiliar hand writing. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, "When a Pet Dies". Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:


Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God