Happy Thanksgiving, Food Allergies

Happy Early Thanksgiving! 

We're probably like most of you all, scrambling and trying to work on our grocery list for the upcoming feast. Great job for everyone who's accomplished it earlier- someday that will be me. For some crazy reason, I thought Thanksgiving was supposed to be last Thursday (yes, I really am jumping the gun on this- maybe it is the snow on the ground, Holiday music starting around Halloween- who knows). Last Monday I was trying to plan out everything, bought some Harvest Bon Bons at Chocolaterie Stam as gifts and sent then away. Well, they arrived a little earlier but better early than late!


 For this Thanksgiving, we're going to be in Ames celebrating with friends. Since Adam and I both like to cook, we are easily going to be in a bind with oven temperatures and timing. One of my favorite dishes that I'm looking forward to is a sweet potato dish with our giant sweet potatoes from the farm. I'm a huge fan but Adam is a squash and sweet potato hater. I will post the recipe... along with some of our favorites. 

Our Thanksgiving feast was a in limbo for a bit. On Monday I had an allergy test done because I had a severe reaction when I was in Wisconsin. I couldn't breathe and my throat was tight. It was definitely scary and was the defining moment of seriously looking into what was causing this. Before, sometimes I would break out in hives after eating or exercising (the most severe) but other times an annoying little rash. I blamed it on wheat and would try to avoid gluten - sorry wheat- it wasn't you. 

Turns out, I'm severely allergic to soy/ soybeans and soy happens to be almost EVERYWHERE- breads, soups, salad dressings, candy, ice cream and more. I have other allergies to egg yolks, cucumbers, broccoli, carrots, raspberries, and TOMATOES- I was very bummed about that last one and the other veggies. I mean really- we have a vegetable farm, what are the odds! Now I've turned into a little label reader, more than ever.  The doctor mentioned on the less severe allergies, if I avoid them for a year or so there is a chance I will overcome them. So, it is going to be a long and difficult year without salsa, ketchup, heirloom tomato salads (the saddest thing) and snitching cherry tomatoes from the field. 

 It also is an opportunity- an opportunity to cook more and really focus on fresh. Even I was caught in the not enough hours in the day mode. Since soy is a major preservative, I can avoid it by cooking more- fresh breads! For the other veggies, I'm going to have to find new favorites. 

We will be possibly going to Italy next year for a wedding. That might be a little more of a challenge. One day at a time... 

Energized...

Lately, I've been all out of sorts. I feel like I've been doing way more of my share with regards to my company, you know the not so fun but important aspects (making sure the pricing is correct, the availabilities are sorted, adding information to the availabilities, and overseeing AR because of some issues in the past- all with little to no communication from my company and juggling my day to day duties). This has been turning me into a control maniac (way past the control freak stage) because I have higher expectations. Okay, enough of my other life for now...

So, I packed up some stress and went with my good friend Libby and her mom Teri, to a spa in Wisconsin. It was an amazing getaway in the Wisconsin Dells. We all needed a relaxing trip- I realized how burned out I was getting. We were making small talk with our driver on the way to a really nice restaurant and he said something that really stuck with me.. "if you are doing what you love every day, then each day is a gift".  I feel like I am so close... and each pathway that I've taken has led me to knowledge. With these adventures, it has shaped me to knowing what I want, what don't want, how I can do things better, and recognize opportunities along the way.

And now we are all back into the real world.
In the next week, I will continue to be working hard. Don't worry- nothing at work is significantly changing but in addition to that, I'm exploring more of what I love in terms of gardening, working with my customers etc- meaning possible new partnerships in addition to what I'm doing currently etc. We are also forging ahead on the farm and are exploring some additional avenues, in addition to Etsy... more opportunities to do what I love.

Catching Up

I finally, finally had a chance to write. Lately I've been wishing that I had more hours in my day- I try to cram everything into the day and I'm at my best when I'm busy. I feel like you should be doing what you love in life and sometimes that has been a challenge because of roadblocks (contracts and all sorts of challenges lately)- that drives me absolutely crazy. Trying to think positively- what I really love is the farm, gardening outside, cooking with our produce (especially canning projects), trying new recipes, and working on projects for the Etsy shop. Etsy has been going very well for me lately. I really enjoy being creative and bringing people joy with handmade quilts.

On the weekends, I am almost so excited to be doing what I love that I can hardly sleep. Other nights, I stay awake with anxiety.



Here's what I've been up to lately on the weekends:

We had our last market at the Ames Oktoberfest (I'm actually 100% German)

One of my favorite canning projects so far is the apple pie filling. Grandma W. would be so proud- she's the legendary pie baker!

And, we are trying our hand at growing MUSHROOMS. These are baby Phoenix oyster mushrooms.

Iowa State Fair Memories & The Project

Gladiolus Show

The Iowa State Fair has officially wrapped up. Even though I might be a tad bit biased, we are extremely fortunate to have such a legendary event so close. Late Friday night, Adam and I took a break from work and checked it out.

For us, it was more exciting than usual because we have a farm. We've been dreaming of some livestock- Charolais and Shorthorn cattle, maybe just a few Berkshire pigs, chickens, and horses for me.

Enjoy!

Checking out the Big Boar

There was a tad bit of drama surrounding this year's famous Butter Cow

I was a ten year 4-Her in Plymouth County and every year that I was eligible, I had projects advance to the state fair. Of what went to the state fair, I received all blue ribbons in such categories as Food and Nutrition, Clothing, Personal Development and more! It was quite a feat because our county is extremely competitive. My favorite projects include violet jam, strawberry lemonade, a strawberry jelly roll, and even hamburger buns. The last project was definitely the hardest- not because of what it really was- but the circumstances that surrounded it. My grandma Waddell helped me bake these the same night that my father passed away at our home. Heavy stuff, I know but I couldn't have been the person I am without her patience and hard work ethic.

So, the project...
As you may know, I'm passionate about gardening, cooking, and a few other projects. I love to share my experiences and last week, we had a preliminary photo shoot at our farm. More details to come, that is... when the time is right!

Summer So Far...

It is August.

Where did the summer go?

These are some views of the farm and of our summer so far. Enjoy!

Sunsets at the Farm

Finally, we've been harvesting some great things from the gardens

Sweet Corn in Iowa is officially ready!

Blueberry Pie Filling (Canning Project)

The first wave of cucumbers

Pickle Project

Chickens, our first animal at Heritage Hill Farm.

The Pie Lady/ A Heavy Heart

The other day, I was wondering where time has went. It is almost July, which means the strawberry season will come to a close and soon the tomatoes and peppers will be shining in the spotlight.  Even though I say I crave a homegrown tomato, mentally I'm really not quite ready!  

Fresh strawberries that I delivered to friends & family on my Le Mars adventure

Last weekend, I visited my good friend Libby with strawberries and other goodies in tow. She had an adorable little baby boy who was born on St. Patrick's Day of this year. I met him for the first time because I'm not so great with life events during the Spring shipping season! I know, I need to do a better job of friends and family coming first but it can definitely be a challenge- especially with new computer systems and all sorts of changes in my (fairly) high stressed but rewarding career. I have a very short shipping window that is very weather and economical driven. In a nutshell that usually can turn me into a crazy person because anything that possibly could have gone wrong, did this year. 

Tonight I'm writing with a heavy heart. 

As you may or may not know,  my grandma was diagnosed with cancer this year during this very hectic Spring. As a side note, honestly cancer terrifies me because it runs in my family. My father passed away when I was in high school and I've seen my great grandma battle it as well. In Iowa, where I grew up is sometimes referred to as the "cancer belt" and no one exactly can pinpoint the reasons as to why. There are tons of theories out there; lots of chemical run-off from agriculture, an old paint company and other factories that were dumping toxins unsafely (but then again, that was before there was as much concern, research, and regulations), as well as other ideas.

I am very close to my Grandma Waddell who is lovingly referred to as the "Pie Lady". Growing up, I used to sell my vegetables alongside her and her pies at Farmer's Markets. I know everyone probably says that their grandma's and moms can make a mean pie, but really I don't think I can find any that can compare to hers- after all, not at all unexpected with her middle name of Delight! Every Wednesday night for the Akron Farmer's Market and Saturdays in Le Mars, she would have sometimes 50-60 pies in all sorts of flavors that she baked starting at 2.30 that morning all from scratch- cherry, apple, strawberry, banana cream, coconut cream (I melt at that one- that usually involves me vs. a cousin for that pie!), pecan and others. I groggily helped her and she really does mean it when she said she was going to start baking at 2.30 AM. But at least, the coffee was on and it usually was very, very dark! No cream, no sugar and no sunrise for a while either.

Last weekend, I visited her with a container of freshly picked strawberries- one of her favorite things because nothing compares to a local strawberry. She perked up and we sat on the deck, eating strawberries and talking but it was obvious that the chemo has taken a toll. I did take comfort with the fact, that just like old times there was a delicious, uncut pie sitting on the counter.

 Last night, we didn't get good news about the prognosis so hopefully my grandma can be comfortable and strong.  We're praying for her and would appreciate yours as well!

I've put together just a few take-aways from the many years of growing up with the legendary "Pie Lady". I thought about these on my long drive back to Ames.

1. Always treat your customers like friends- know their favorites, be kind and generous. Generous might mean going out of your way to open a door or give a few extra pies or veggies away. Chances are that you won't remember your kindness but others will.
2. Work hard, you can get a lot accomplished at 2.30 in the morning as long as the coffee is on and hot. No cream and no sugar, or maybe you can if its a special day.
3. Don't take shortcuts in life (don't skimp on the Crisco if you want a flaky crust) but it is ok to adjust the sugar for a sugar free/ low sugar pie- some exceptions to the rule but not with the crust. Also, store bought pie crust don't count as homemade pie crust. An interesting fact, actually to this day I can't bring myself to eat a store bought pie!

On the way to my Grandma's house. My cousins and I would ride bikes to "Uncle Ed's" place and sometimes pick plums from the wild thicket. There is still a great fishing pond here!

Favorite Memories...

Summer is officially here and that means some of my favorite things: sunshine, gardening and seeing the hard work in the garden pay off, county fairs, and strawberry picking!

One of my favorite memories from growing up, was picking fresh strawberries from a strawberry patch with my dad for a 4-H project. This was before he was sick and I'm not sure how old I was. Some background info: as you probably know, 4-H and the county fair was a huge part of my growing up. Our county prided itself on one of the best county fairs in Iowa and the competition was very stiff! There was always this mad scramble to finish up perfect 4-H projects for the exhibit building and balancing that with working with our animals, so they would be at their best for the show ring. Plus, that meant you could catch up with friends from across the county, that you only saw during fair time. That was pre-cell phone, pre-Facebook!

Going back to the strawberry project... my 4-H project was canned strawberry lemonade concentrate. I needed fresh strawberries and lemons, so my dad took time out of his busy days to help me pick strawberries at this berry patch up North. Then I came home and started on this recipe, which ended up being a Grand Champion and advancing to the Iowa State Fair and received a blue ribbon.

Last week, I decided to pick strawberries with a friend and make this recipe again. It turned out as good as it was from way back (I think).

Here's the recipe from the Ball Blue Book, the best resource for home canning (my humble opinion!):

Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate (Canned Version)
Here's the link:
http://www.freshpreserving.com/recipe.aspx?r=245

Makes about 7 (16 oz) pints
The sweetness of fresh, ripe strawberries adds the perfect balance to tart lemons in this recipe. Preserving the freshness allows you to serve this summertime favorite at any special occasion throughout the year.

You will need:

6 cups hulled strawberries
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups granulated sugar

Directions:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) PURÉE strawberries in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, working in batches, until smooth. Transfer to a large stainless steel saucepan as completed.
3.) ADD lemon juice and sugar to strawberry puree, stirring to combine. Heat to 190° F over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
4.) LADLE hot concentrate into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
5.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

QUICK TIP:
To reconstitute, mix one part concentrate with one part water, tonic water or ginger ale. Adjust concentrate to suit your taste.

Heirloom Tomatoes At Heritage Hill Farm

Another rainy day...
I can't complain because we had some nice, bright and sunny days. Our tomatoes that we've planted have almost doubled in size. This weekend we will see if we can get them staked, which may or may not happen depending on the weather. In the meantime, it is nice to have a little break from the farm.

I also was given a large number of other heirloom tomato plants that will have a long and happy life at Heritage Hill Farm. As you may know, I am an absolute nut about heirloom tomatoes. I can't wait until they are ready and they all seem to have their own personalities- interesting stories, flavors, and colors that really highlight certain dishes.

These are a handful of the ones we have planted this year...that we've never grown before.
I can't wait to can pizza sauces, salsa's, and enjoy cooking with these in general... I think you would too!

 

Silver Fir Tree- check out the foliage!

Wapsipinicon Peach- an Iowa heirloom

Black Sea Man 

 

Velvet Red- Interesting Foliage, from Seed Savers Exchange

Sweet Pea Currant- super small tomatoes

Amana Orange- another Iowa heirloom from the Amana Colonies 

Beauty King 

And maybe 60 more varieties!

Restless on a/ some Rainy Day(s)

Lately (as in the last couple of weeks) it has been raining and occasionally there has been chilly temps, some gusty winds, and thunderstorms. I was thinking that this long Memorial Day weekend would be ideal for working at the farm- finishing up the last of the staggered late season crops and adding flowers (yes, I keep asking Adam- the master plot planner- for more space for flowers and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't), weeding, and just tidying up.

That didn't pan out...

This is near the driveway where we have some pinto beans planted. 

At least a couple of ducks are enjoying the water. There are some wild Mallards that are calling our place home. As of today, we named them Puddles and Petunia. I'm sure they will leave us if the water ever goes down.

In the meantime, it's still too muddy to work out there and work has slowed down a bit. That is the perfect recipe for going stir crazy. Hence the restlessness.

So I guess that means cleaning, ironing, and all of that good inside work. 
Maybe that means trying out a new recipe or two.

Heritage Hill Farm Update

Lately, I have been a crazy person.

Between the rain and the cooler overnight temperatures, it has been a slow start at the farm compared to last year. We were able to plant the cool season crops (broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, peas, lettuce, potatoes, and much more) and they are all doing well.

Last night, we had to move out tomatoes and peppers inside because of the lows in the 30's. And get this, tomorrow it is going to be in the 90's. What in the world!?

This week our plan is to get everything in the ground and watch it grow, while hopefully catching some lucky breaks with rains (that is after our planting is complete- that's not asking for too much, right?). Soon enough we will be harvesting and cooking up a storm.

Here are some shots from around the farm.
Enjoy!

Adam is our onion head grower

French Fingerling potatoes from Seed Savers Exchange

Cabbages

Jacob's Cattle Bean- each bean is a little different. 

You can't beat our sunsets at the farm! 

Too Much of a Good Thing, Might Be a Bad Thing...

You can't always get what you want, and too much of a good thing might be a bad thing! That has definitely been the case with our weather so far this year.

Last summer we had our dry spell. In Iowa, we had a historic drought which severely affected the corn crops especially. We couldn't seem to catch a thunderstorm or light rain; every single time it seemed like it would miss us. It would skirt us or break apart almost right before our eyes.

So far, this year it has seemed to be a completely different situation as we've had rains and cooler temperatures almost constantly. Some nights, we've had temperatures as low as 24 degrees which has no doubt altered our planting plans. We have these short little, tiny windows in order to plant a lot of crops.
  

Last night we planted the sugar peas and I planted another 10 rows of lettuce- my French heirloom lettuce varieties. We finished just in time as a steady rain fell. We appreciated the watering in and the next ten days of the forecast (except for Tuesday overnight) look great!

In the meantime, our pepper and tomato transplants have been doing well, living in their posh cell packs. They are not going outside for a long time... especially if this weather continues.  Last year at this time, we had consistant 70+ degree temperatures and they were established the garden by this time. I'm pretty convinced I was pulling weeds.

Peppers

 

 

Adam's mom sent me this picture yesterday. I love it- it is of Adam gardening back in the day.
See, he was always cut out for this... little did he know, twenty years later he would be working hard on a much larger scale!

Next up, as soon as we can, we will have a potato planting adventure. We have approximately 200 lbs. that will be planted next weekend. Russets, Yukon Gold, Kennebec, French Fingerling, La Ratte Fingerling, and All Blue all need to be cut up and planted in the ground very asap. I had to buy potatoes at the grocery store yesterday and yes, it about killed me to do so!

But our salmon, roasted potatoes with garlic, and spinach seemed to have to us ancier than ever!

Spring At Heritage Hill Farm... We've been busy!

We have been so busy lately and time is flying by!
Even though it is officially Spring, that groundhog was way off. It has been one of the coldest and wettest April's for decades. I have to admit, every Sunday I watch the US Farm Report because I find it interesting and I (possibly) bore Adam with my little juicy tidbits I learn, ranging from such topics as farmers in the South planting more corn that cotton, honeybees in California for pollinating crops- you name it, I'm probably fascinated. Its my tradition. Actually I used to watch that show when I was growing up with my dad, while he made the world's best fried egg sandwich.

Spring also happens to be my busy time with work. That means many phone calls and visits to customers, and late nights working on orders. We are shipping orders throughout the Midwest, but even my poor Minnesota customers can't seem to get out of winter so many of them have wanted to delay until it finally acts a little more like Spring. On the weekends, I spend time at the farm to unwind.

Here are some highlights...

This weekend, Adam and I planted over 800 onions and almost all of our cool season crops, such as the broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. All of our plants (except the onions) were started from seed under grow lights, quite an undertaking for our very limited space. We were CAKED in mud and worked while it was sprinkling. I'm sure the plants loved it.

Here are some fun pics that I thought I would share...

We planted approximately 5 flats of cole crops- the ones that love the cool temperatures! 

 

January King Cabbage- these are actually a blue- green color and stunning! 

Our onion plants came from a grower in Texas- Adam is the onion expert! 

But the nice and tidy, evenly spaced plots would not be possible without the help (ok, directorship basically) of Adam. He's known as 'Mr. Details'.
As you know, I'm not the most patient person and if I had the chance I would go rogue and plant everything everywhere. He does a good job of reigning me in... or he likes to think he does. I'm sure I will find some places to squeeze in a few plants....

The plots are located in second year corn- I spend forever picking up corn that's been left by from the combine.

Also, I've added lots of goodies to my Etsy shop. I bombarded my friend Jenny with quilts and she has done such an amazing job.

Here's the link....this is just one listing, but I have lots of others up under my shop. I've shipped my first order to Arkansas and it was really a great experience.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/128227227/oh-deer-quilt-made-with-modas-oh-deer?


More interesting updates to come.... stay tuned!
I guess the moss doesn't grow on me, I'm not one to sit still.

Home in the Heartland- labels

Here's a little something I was going back and forth on...

I wanted to have some sort of way, to attach my shop name onto my Etsy projects and gifts.

I connected with a fellow Etsier and we worked together. I came up with the design and she printed my custom design on twill in a buff tape. I will sew these into my quilt bindings.

I think these turned out great.... and my friend Jenny, finished quilting 5 quilts of mine that were in a stash. Some of these are sold and others I will list on Etsy. All in all, they will have Home in the Heartland labels!

Finding the Perfect Treasures

One of my favorite 'off season' hobbies -if there is such a thing- is searching for perfect treasures either for our home or the farm. Adam and I are both on the same page of design (for the most part, I think), so it is always nice to look for pieces for the future home.

When I was younger, I used to go to antique stores and flea markets with my grandmas and that's when I realized, that I liked the look of combining vintage with modern- my own, unique style.

Several weeks ago, I was in Le Mars (my hometown) attending my friend's baby shower. Her family is very involved with the auctioneering business and actually is more like a second family to me. As you can imagine, they see it all- all sorts of great things.

While there, I went to one of their auctions and came back with some great pieces for our home. I bought some vintage 1914 original photos of racehorses in addition to some antique snowshoes with the poles. My plans for these are to go in the bar room once we build...to complement the lodge look and feel.

Today, I decided to take a break from the hustle and bustle of early Spring. I went to Kathy's Barn in Tama and it was amazing. What a great little shop, filled with what I was looking for- display pieces for the Farmer's Markets. I found some great wooden pop crates and a chair for the farm.

Below is an oil painting that I found on another expedition. I think it's a scene from France, where I was during college. There are herds of sheep and I like the looks of the guilded frame.  

All in all, I'm a very picky and choosy person. I usually have a pretty good idea of what I'm looking for and sometimes I go into stores with my blinders on. I can drive myself crazy sometimes, but I guess that is the thrill of the perfect find!

Our Top Picks for Spring... While Daydreaming in Winter

Where we are in Iowa, we've missed out on a couple of  'predicted' snowstorms recently. There was the news hype on the latest blizzard (that didn't happen) and then the big disappointment at our house. We would be looking out the window constantly for the chance to see little flurries but instead see brown grass. No such luck on our snowstorm.

So today, our little 'dusting' turned out to be maybe five inches, and its still snowing!

We need all of the moisture we can get for the upcoming Spring season.

Especially for these treasures that we will be growing at our farm this Spring!
These are just a few of our heirloom and newer varieties that we will have in the CSA program and at markets.

Enjoy! 

Minnesota Midget Melon

Jacob's Cattle Bean

Jade Cauliflower

Baby Bell Pepper

January King Cabbage 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day... with a Lilly Pulitzer project

When you think of Valentine's, usually there are thoughts of pinks and reds, flowers, and chocolates.


Personally, Valentine's is one of my favorite days.

Well last Sunday, I was restless and in need of a little project.

I had some vintage Lilly Pulitzer fabrics that I've had for while now. As you know, Lilly Pulitzer is known for her fun, bold, and interesting patterns. These particular fabrics are in a pink and green color scheme and have flowers (poppies, coneflowers, dogwood, lily of the valley & others). If you look closely, some blocks have cats too!

I wanted to make sure I had the perfect block pattern because the fabrics are a little busy. I decided on a simple pinwheel with a contrasting white fabric. I made this into a baby quilt for my etsy shop. I will use a pink backing fabric and send this to Jenny for quilting.

After that happens, I will put on the finishing touches and list on Etsy.com. 

Next up, I need to find a use for some blue and green Lilly fabrics....

Happy Valentine's Day!