This Week at Ramsey Farms

For the Week Ending Sunday, September 28, 2014 - 

The weather this past week has been so different from the southeast Georgian summer heat and sun! I ain’t seen the sun shine in three damn days, to quote Cheryl Crowe. It’s been overcast, cloudy, rainy, stormy, and fairly cool! It’s perfect weather for our mushroom crop. Just kidding, we don’t have a mushroom crop but those little fun-guys (get it?!) are popping up all over the yard – like a magic little Smurf village built overnight! We’ve gotten nearly six inches of rain this month – almost double the “normal” September rainfall.

Our typical 90-100+++ degree days of Georgia summer have faded into daytime high temperatures ranging from 65 to 88 this past week. It’s been so refreshing outside watching the stars (when it isn’t raining) with cools in the low to mid 60s. Sadly though, it does seems pool season has come to an end!

Last Tuesday morning while washing dishes, I looked up and out the kitchen window to see two animals walking out of the woods soaked by the two-day rain storm. I asked Chief Farmhand Chris if he had special ordered any new friends – I swear these two dogs were just what we said we wanted – a black lab and a German shepherd blend. He went to investigate the visitors who seemed in healthy condition despite being soaked and very thin. The two canines appeared to be friendly enough and we cautiously introduced ourselves.

They are actually very ferocious dogs!

Carolina and Georgia have elected to stay here at Ramsey Farms as our security/farm dogs! When they stayed 24-hours, we then had to feed them. Chief Farmhand, Chris started building them a dog house after the 2^nd night. He hopes to finish the house early this week if the rain lets up.

This dog house construction curtailed the chicken coop development and I am so anxious to get my own birds – one of the very reasons I wanted to leave the suburbs and have a large parcel of land in the country of my very own! So for now I’m just reading books on chicken raising and pursuing the Farm Bulletin sales ads for poultry!

This week a quote came to mind (I think of you, Alysha T. when I read this quote). I have always been a big fan of the public library (or any private library for that matter)! Reading is a fundamental skill, passion, hobby, learning method, and escape mechanism. I've visited my new local library three or four times since we moved here eight weeks ago! We don't have a TV in our living room and our satellite internet can be sporadic, entertainment is made the old-fashioned way round here. Conversation, games, hobbies, and reading! I find myself wondering what my favorite characters are up to while I'm not reading or when the book is finished, I wish I could ask the author or characters questions about their lives and the story! Stretch your mind and read something interesting to you tonight! 

"Because for some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth." - Anne Lamott

A few great books I've recently enjoyed:

• Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs (I cannot wait to read more of her work! A forensic pathologist in North Carolina and Canada, she is the role model for and the executive producer of the forensic show, Bones.)
• A Walk on the Beach by Joan Anderson - a non-fiction book about life
• Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle
• Your Money Map by Larry Burkett
• 116 Lighthouse Cove by Debbie Macomber

Be on the lookout, loyal blog readers! J I am going to start posting a “Recipe of the Week” that is QUICK & EASY and tested out here at our house! Maybe you’ll find a fast and easy meal to make for your family or find ways to simply replace the processed foods (canned and boxed goods) from your own recipes or just find a fun, new treat to share with your friends!

Also, don't forget to check out the Georgia garden pics!

This Week at Ramsey Farms

For the week ending September 21, 2014 ~ 

Well I certainly did not intend to skip the last weekly update…but time flies when you’re having fun and last week just slipped quickly away from me. I do want to remind you that you can “follow” my blog by clicking on the “Follow” button on the right and to brag that this little blog has received more than 2,000 visits since its creation last November! You are also encouraged to leave positive comments and questions and have space for this following each post.

Today is the Autumn Equinox and tomorrow will be the first full day of fall here in the northern hemisphere of our globe. For me, autumn brings to mind colorful and falling leaves, crisp air, sharp sunlight, chili, cooler air, warmer clothing, hikes, boots, football, and a closing down for the winter hibernation. I love fall for the feeling of change, but cringe at the thought of winter. Then I remember that without winter we won’t have that wonderful rebirth of spring!

From death comes life; out of the ruins, beauty will grow.

It’s remained quite hot here in southeast Georgia with afternoon highs hitting or surpassing the 100 mark daily. We’ve had some wondrous heat lightening and even a better-than-fourth-of-July electrical storm thanks to this heat! Though our official highs have actually dropped to the low 90s most days this past week, yesterday morning we dipped to 60 degrees just before the sun rose and heated the land. Our daily half-mile trek to and from the bus stop was crisp and refreshing, albeit a tad chilly this morning. This week the forecast shows our high temperatures to stay in the mid to high 80s! What a change that will be.

Since we’ve moved and started a brand new garden, I have created a brand new garden photo album. You can check out pics of our current garden HERE and still can view the photo gallery of our 2014 NC garden right HERE. Chief Farmhand, Chris has worked hard in the garden to get things planted. So far the cucumbers, squash, and zucchini are the only things that are doing well. It’s either far too hot in our sunny planting area or the ants are carrying off / eating our seeds. I have parsley, chamomile, dill, and cilantro started inside and all have sprouted!

Chief Farmhand, Chris finished installing the compost walls last week. It was really tough to toss things like egg shells and coffee grounds in the trashcan, so I am happy we’re back to composting! We look forward to some nice, rich, organic matter to incorporate into our garden soil for the spring planting. He’s planning out the chicken coop and run next. We are so ready to have our own hens and fresh eggs! I can barely wait. 

We checked out a livestock auction this past weekend and saw a huge variety of chickens (roosters and hens), quail, turkeys, a peacock, rabbits, pigs, cows, goats, and sheep. Some roosters got loose and headed straight for us! My five year old was upset that he didn’t get to catch them! (My teenager was just glad she wore closed-toe shoes.) Our Chief Farmhand designed his animal barn on paper that very night.

It’s all a big learning experiment…so stay tuned to see what’s next!

Ice Cream Cake

Easy Ice Cream Cake 

Made 3 cakes in various size loaf pans ~ About 24 servings ~ Prep time: About 25 mins. + Freezer Time: 2.5 hours+ ~ Total Time 3 hours ~ Can Make Days in Advance! ~ Fast & So Easy

Ingredients

• 2 packages of Oreo-type cookies, any flavor (I have an idea that any cookies would work well)
• 2 boxes (1.75 pt) ice cream, your favorite flavors
• Optional toppings (see recipe step #8)

Directions

1. Make space in the freezer for your cake pans and set out ice cream packages so they will soften. Oil loaf pans, line with parchment paper and wax paper (or plastic wrap).
2. Crush the cookies. If using two different flavors, keep them separated. For the first bottom layer, crush into larger cookie crumble pieces. For subsequent layers, crush to a nice bread crumb consistency with some larger pieces for crunch.
3. Line the bottom coated, papered pans with large cookie crumbs and chunks. 
4. Spoon in one flavor of ice cream, mash it down into the cookies with the spoon. This creates your crust. Put pan into the freezer for 10 minutes for a frozen foundation. 
5. Add layer of second ice cream flavor to frozen crust layer. Top with a thick layer of fine cookie crumbs. Put pan into the freezer for 10 minutes. 
6. Add layer of first ice cream flavor. Top with thick layer of fine cookie crumbs mixed with crushed cookie chunks. Freeze each layer for 10 minutes. Most loaf pans will let you do about 3 layers. 
7. Keep in freezer until ready to serve (at least 2 hours, up to 4 days or more). Let it set out for a few minutes or dip the bottom of the pan in warm water to help loosen the cake for easy upside down serving and slicing! 
8. Serve with optional whipped cream, chocolate or caramel toppings, fresh fruit, fruit syrups, or crushed nuts on top. 

Crock Pot Cobbler

Ramsey's Slow Cooker Cobbler

Notes: This recipe has been a staple at our house since 2002! I have tested this recipe with blackberries, blackberry/blueberry, raspberry/blackberry, and peaches. It gets the highest rating in my book - 5 STARS! I bet this would be good with apples too. Mmmmm...anything I can use the crockpot for and make something fresh and yummy is a winning recipe! Enjoy!

9/3/2014: Served this for dessert this week using 4 lonely peaches I had left in the fridge. Rave reviews from my crew! Top with butter and cream if desired and serve alongside a cold glass of milk! Ahhhh...this is heavenly dessert. 

Prep Time: 25 mins   Total Time: 2 hours, 55 mins   Servings: 6

Recipe Type:   EASY   GOOD-VALUE   CROCKPOT  ALL-NATURAL

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp oil
• Splash vanilla extract
• 4 cups fresh or frozen fruit (I have used this recipe with fresh blackberries, blackberry/blueberry, and peaches)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/8 cup brown sugar (if using peaches or apples)
• 1 tsp orange juice (or orange zest)

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients.
2. Combine eggs, milk, and oil. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened.
3. Spread batter evenly into the bottom of a greased 5-quart slow cooker. (I have put this into the fridge for up to 15 hours at this point; if making ahead.)
4. In a saucepan, combine fruit, water, orange juice, 3/4 cup sugar (and 1/8 cup brown sugar if you're using peaches or apples)
5. Bring fruit mixture to a boil. Remove from heat; immediately pour over batter in the crockpot.
6. Cover and cook on high for (2 to) 2.5 hours or until tests done with toothpick.
7. Turn cooker off. Uncover and let stand for 30 mins. before serving.

This Week!

Monday, September 1 - Sunday, September 7, 2014~

Turkeys! August 31, 2014

Here is the photo I snagged of the big flock of wild turkeys that came out of the woods in our front field during a brief lull in a late summer thunderstorm. Mentioned in last week's post.

Fresh Peach Cobbler in the Crockpot

I love to cook and bake for my family. We cook homemade meals every day and bake bread several times a week, but I still don't want to spend all day, every day in my kitchen (though it is the most used space in our home)! Any time I post recipes on this blog, it's gonna to be something easy and not overly time consuming and likely will use fresh, healthy, and simple ingredients. (Not always good for you though!) EASY and FAST should be my keywords for these recipes. So if you tend to avoid the recipes (Alysha!) then remember EASY & FAST. Say it again, FAST & EASY! So that being said, check out this easy recipe for fresh fruit cobbler in the crock pot that will post later this week! Also look for the super easy ice cream cake recipe, my homemade pancake mix, and easy to make / tastier than out of a bottle cinnamon syrup, and the best hashbrowns ever coming in the weeks ahead. :)

Cucumber 9/4/14

The cucumbers are doing really well in the garden despite the super hot and dry temperatures we have had the past few weeks. We got more rain this past week with heat-triggered thunderstorms most every evening. We've had a zucchini and a squash plant pop up, but not a sign of the tomatoes, onions, borage, or dill. Chief Farmhand Chris planted beets, more cucumbers, garlic, and leeks this past week. I started a few seeds of dill and chamomile inside in small glass jars, we shall see if it works.

My baby boy turned five this week! I can't believe how times flies and how fast tiny babies grow up into little boys. Since we don't know many people here, I instigated a little "send-a-card" party on Facebook encouraging our family friends and those who have been close to my son throughout his life to send cards and love via the U.S. Postal Service. It was really great as he got several pieces of mail every day last week and a delivery from UPS and another from Fed-Ex. It's pretty exciting to see one of those big familiar delivery trucks pull up into view on this long sandy driveway! We spread it out so that he got to open one or two cards or boxes each night so that he had plenty to still open on Saturday - his actual birthday.

We held a small party by the pool and grilled hot dogs, served with chips, pickles, and pasta salad by request of the birthday boy! Farmhand Chris and I made a really delicious, really easy (FAST & EASY) ice cream cake that got rave reviews.

Ridding Your Life of Negativity

Sheessh! Negativity is not something I find pleasant in anyway and I will go to lengths to avoid negative situations, negative places, negative feelings, and of course, negative people. Have you known someone who sucks the life out you? Drains your energy? Belittles your dreams or ambitions? Never has anything nice to say about anyone or anything? Ugh...I don't want to deal with these types of people - their number pops up on your phone and you dread answering. Negativity is toxic; it seeps into every aspect of our personality and lives if we were to allow it within the boundaries of our lives. 

One of the blogs I like to read (http://coachchinh.com/) defines a toxic person as: someone who complains and dumps their problems on you but doesn’t do anything to change their situation. Someone who is not supportive. Someone who makes you feel bad. Someone who shoots down your bright ideas, big goals, or bold (and risky) decisions that you need to make in order to be successful. I'd say that just about nails it!

Allowing toxic, negative people in our lives has a hundred-fold impact on us physically, spiritually, and mentally.  Negative people discourage us from our goals and ambitions. They can cause physical anxiety and stress and illness. When we have too much negativity in our lives, we aren't open to the positive things we need in our lives. 

This is YOUR life, it is your's and only your's - no one else is in charge of you. Never allow someone else to define what a good life is for you…life is not one-size-fits-all. What seems “right” for one person or family isn’t the perfect choice for another. You don’t have to lead my life and I sure as hell don’t want to lead yours. :) Set boundaries: limit your conversations and time with people who are negative. Surround yourself with positive, supportive, encouraging people who uplift and inspire you.

When ridding your life of negative people and things, there is no need for you to explain. You might want to, people may even demand it of you...but you don't have to. Again, this is your life, it's how you feel, and you don't owe anyone an explanation of why or how you go about living your life. 

If the negative person is someone close to you, you may want to let them know how their negativity is impacting your relationship with them. They may not realize that their behavior is out of sync. Their negativity is about them not you - do remember that. If you feel that the person truly loves you and doesn't intend to hurt your feelings, try to help them instill more positive energy in their lives. For every negative comment they make, give them a positive remark back. You can't make someone else change their behavior, but maybe you can help them. If not, cut your losses! Life is far too short to listen to or even have to be around Debbie Downers, Negative Nancy's, Judge Judy's, Bob Bummer's and Perfect Polly's! 

This Week at Ramsey Farms

Monday, September 1, 2014-

The last couple of weeks have truly gotten away from me. I have stayed really busy with my work gaining more than 16 new career strategy clients in about as many days. Thank God for blessing me with ample work! It just gives me less time and energy to write blogs! J

It’s really nice to all walk the quarter-mile to the end of our driveway each morning before the sun comes out to meet the school bus. It’s a nice way to start the day: a brisk walk in the dawn air, seeing the moon and some planets and stars while the sun rises in the east, night time paw prints in the sand, coffee and groggy conversation with your kids.

I like to take a few extra moments outside to watch the pink and orange glow come up over the trees and breathe deeply the fresh morning air, maybe catch sight of an owl or other nocturnal animal returning home for the morning. Then I head inside to my office to start the work day by seven. Many days I’m done in time to enjoy some free time before the kids get home, but there are plenty of days when I’m working until dinner or beyond to meet deadlines. I love those days I can take a solo swim, go fishing, take a little walk to the creek or in the woods, or just sit and take in the natural beauty surrounding me in the afternoon!

The heat has been amazing these past weeks. Daily highs topping 100° and the heat indices exceeding 106°. The cheap $1 thermometer I have on my front office window that gets full afternoon and evening sun often reaches its max level of 120° most every afternoon. The official temp has hit 95 or higher ten out of the last fourteen days. We are blessed with a nice, well-insulated house with great air conditioning as well as that pool! A quick jump into the pool after walking up from the bus stop in the late afternoons is a decadent treat!

106°

We got about 2.75 inches of rain yesterday along with lots of thunder and lightning and even some good quarter-size hail! During a lull in the storm at dinnertime, Chris said, “look! What is that?” We all got up to the windows and low and behold – a family of at least 20 turkeys came waddling out of the woods and up the hill. “Get your gun. I’ll get my camera!” I told Chris in jest. (It is not turkey season until spring.)

Chris has worked hard to get our fall garden in and I hope the heat doesn’t just kill it all. So far he planted bush beans, cucumbers, dill, beefsteak and roma tomatoes, green onions, borage, crookneck yellow squash, and zucchini. The beans came up quickly but also very quickly dried up and died. (He replanted cukes in their spot). The first batch of cucumbers planted are up and seem to be doing very well despite the heat and lack of rain; though Chris does water most every night and morning.

On Labor Day, Chief Farmhand Chris spent the afternoon tilling a 20x20 planting zone and one 3-foot wide bed that is 26’ long. During the month of September, we hope to plant the following seeds: arugula, beets, broccoli, carrots, garlic, kale, leek, lettuce & mesclun mix, radishes, spinach, and maybe even Brussel sprouts. I also intend to get some herbs in the mix and start a herb garden for the perennial herbs. This month I hope to plant my chamomile, cilantro, parsley, and more dill & borage if those don’t pop up in the primary garden. My next door neighbors gave me some fresh basil over three weeks ago that has sprouted roots in the vase on my kitchen island!

Inside, I have the majority of the house in order, organized, and unpacked. I have four boxes of photos that I will have to go through eventually and not found the need to open four boxes marked “china cabinet / wine glasses / kitchen” in the month we’ve been here. (I love moving to get rid of the things we truly don’t use!) Those boxes will go into the shed for the next six to 12 months. If I haven’t needed those things before then, I will sell or give away the contents of those boxes! (Please see me if you need wine glasses. Please.)  I have not hung any photos, art, or whatnots on the walls and that will be a project for September.

We still bake all our bread and baked goods from scratch by hand and prepare healthy meals with items

that do not come from cans or boxes. It’s harder to do without our garden-fresh produce or even a local farmer’s market. My daughter is an excellent pastry chef baking us tasty brownies, peanut butter cookies, and other sweets! Farmhand Chris has learned how to bake bread, too. We all pitch in in the kitchen, but I get the fun of planning out our meals and finding (or creating) recipes. We made a homemade garlic-mozzarella cream sauce for pasta that we served with homemade basil-garlic bread; pancakes from scratch served with hand-shredded hashbrowns and handmade cinnamon syrup; remarkable potato soup and a black-bean vegetable soup served with fresh homemade bread. Some of the best things out of my kitchen are things we threw together at the last minute or combined from several recipes and ingredient shuffling!

The mailbox is a source of mystery, fun, excitement, and intrigue! We’ve received so many cards, letters, and packages (okay only two packages to date) from our friends and mailed so many letters and postcards that this old-fashioned method of communication has become something fun for us. My son will be five in just five days and daily he checks the mailbox to see if anything new has been sent to him! For those of you who know us well enough to know our mailing address – please take a  moment to write us a letter! We’d love to hear from you. I encourage us all to get back to letter writing as an art form and way to communicate. Don’t allow modern technology like texting, social media, email, and the phone let this form die. Write a letter to your mama, your best friend, a pal living in another state or another country – anybody!

I would never suggest that anyone try to live their lives according to my definitions, but I believe in this busy world of ours it’s easy to lose track of the small things that can bring simple pleasure into our lives. So here is my suggestion of stuff you ought to give a try to this week:

• Watch the sun rise or set
• Take a brisk, quiet morning walk (no earbuds)
• Jump in the pool
• Try a new recipe
• Write a letter
• Find ways just to simply be good to yourself & others

God's Creation in All It's Splendor! Take Time to Enjoy This Day, We are Given so Few!