Snapshots from the Farm

This Spring has witnessed some delightful farm progress as Caleb helped me fix our pasture so that the does could have daily grazing access. I'm so grateful for his help and that the animals can enjoy the outdoors; possibly as much as I enjoy seeing them out in the pasture! 

My only wish was that my favorite doe, Tenn, could have lived 1 week longer to fully enjoy the beautiful outdoors herself. 

{my morning "hello" for the past 4 years ~ neither she or her twins made it after an extremely traumatic birth}

 {fencing}

{Tori and fellow herd-mates loving the fresh grass}

{Tahala on the right; another favorite!}

{incredible weather}

 {loving the new territory}

{a view from the pasture}

Even though there have been some very difficult losses encountered, a walk around the farm gave me plenty to be grateful for. The new goat pasture, good rain this year, progeny from Tenn, our garden planted early... I'll miss feeding my doe her favorite snack of tortilla chips, and scratching her chin each morning...that was a special memory of growing up with the responsibility of animals. But there is still more to learn, and determination over-flows as I look forward to improving the genetic line that remains. 

In everything give thanks. 

Dinner for a Chilly Day

Recently upon talking with a friend on health and cooking verses sweets and baking, I was again inspired to work on finding delicious dinner recipes for the family. Since it is still chilly weather in our area, soup continues to be a meal staple and I turned to this recipe with some alterations to make a delicious and hearty dinner:

Beef and Barley Soup

Photo Credit

2T. Olive Oil

3 Onions, minced

1/4c. Tomato Paste

1T. Fresh Thyme, minced or 3/4t. dried

1/2c. Beef or Chicken Stock

1 (28oz) can Crushed Tomatoes

4c. Beef Broth (can substitute Chicken)

4 Carrots, chopped

1c. Mushrooms

2c. Spinach, chopped

1/3c. Soy Sauce

1/2c. Barley

2 pounds Beef steak, trimmed

Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, tomato paste, and thyme and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of Beef stock and transfer to slow cooker. 

I made a rue to add some creaminess and thickness (it made a huge difference in the soup - I would highly suggest it). Start by browning about 1/4c. Butter in a sauce pan, whisk in 1/4c. Flour and slowly stir in about 2 cups of milk or broth - you may need a little more. Once smooth and creamy, add to the crockpot.

Stir tomatoes, beef broth, carrots, mushrooms, soy sauce and barley into slow cooker. Season beef with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 on high. 

Transfer beef to cutting board and shred into bite size pieces. Add spinach to slow cooker along with the meat. 

Taste before serving to see if you need any additional seasonings. If you need more broth in your soup, just add water. 

Enjoy~

*I doubled this recipe for our family of 10.

One Thing I Desire: to Know Christ more

"We must know the Lord Jesus to admire Him, 

we must admire Him to love Him, 

and we must love Him to serve Him." 

~Octavius Winslow

Sarah Bryant, author of "The Family Daughter" (see my review on that HERE)and editor of "A King's Blooming Rose" magazine, asks in her new book "One thing I Desire":

"Has your life been engulfed by one consuming passion - that you would more deeply know your Creator and Savior Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Gospel?"

"One Thing I Desire is penned to encourage you in your quest to seek and know your Redeemer through His Word, that your heart would more fully understand His great work accomplished in the Gospel. The grandeur of this one thing will spur you to love Him more with all of your heart, soul, and mind and to worship Him throughout all of eternity." 

 The hope of this author is to encourage her sisters in the Lord with extensive selection and relevance of Scripture, compiled and written to inspire those on all parts of the journey of Knowing our Savior. It is full of encouragement to honestly evaluate your Spiritual life, dig into the Word of Jehovah and STUDY the Scriptures and spur you on to seeking our Holy Lord with every part of your heart, soul and mind.

 Sarah's passionate love for Jesus is a blessing to all those who see; a testimony and light of our Lord's faithfulness and goodness to those who Seek Him with their whole hearts, who know Him, who love Him, who Serve Him. In this day, it is entirely refreshing to have a Sister in the Lord who so generously shares through her book, what the Lord has laid on her heart. Thank you, Sarah!

"One thing have I desired Lord, 

that will I seek after, 

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, 

to behold the beauty of the Lord."

Psalm 27:4

 Sarah has graciously offered to share one of her new books with a Feminine Farmgirl reader. Please enter below by:

- Visit the Kings Blooming Rose website - (comment here after you've done so = 1 entry: comment 1x)

-  Comment with a favorite Bible verse, quote or book title that encourages you to Know Christ More ( = 2 entries: comment 2 times!)

- Sharing the link to this giveaway on Facebook or on your Blog ( = 3 entries: comment 3 times!)

This giveaway will close on December 12, 2012, winner will be chosen by random.org. 

May your heart's desire be to know our Jehovah King more each day. 

Oh, to be Five again...

Swinging. 

That one word brings back a host of memories. Not only was swinging a favorite pastime from when I was younger, it might have been where my momma discovered that her good little girl had a touch of the naughty side as well. Oops.

Now I give my three youngest sisters under-dogs on the swing set...watching them play happily brings back many memories.

Right now they just enjoy our little life on the farm. They named the three chicks that hatched Alma, Maud and Ethel. So sweet.

 They dress up in their "hoop skirts" and set up a Civil War Camp with old cast iron pots and lots of sticks.
All three of them have wonderful imaginations that get put to work in their creative play and they learn a lot. Mom especially, reads them all kinds of books - she did that for Josh and me too. We sat in the living room every day and colored or did a craft while mom read. For a while, one of our favorite story books was "Roxaboxen" - we set up a cardboard box village in our basement, made gardens around the houses and a graveyard - just like the story.  Memories like that make me wish I was five again...

The girls find much joy in every little detail of life...that is something that I don't ever want to out-grow.

They remind me not to rush life, but to enjoy every moment of the day.

There's not a tree next to our current swing set, so I can't try and touch the maple leaves with my toes like I used to...but last night, I swung high on our swing set with many memories of what the Lord has blessed me with and I am so grateful.

Thai Curry-Coconut Soup and Fresh from the Farmstand Giveaway

Our family has been enjoying Gooseberry Patch's, new cookbook: Fresh from the Farmstand. With 240 recipes, there seems to be an idea for every variety of produce that you can find at your local Farmers market...as we head into the vegetable season, there will be plenty of opportunity to not only try these 5-star recipes, but use some of that extra garden produce as well!

Below is a recipe for Thai Curry-Coconut Soup, straight from the cookbook for you to try. A simple and quick dinner to put together - and delicious.

1c. Onion, chopped
1c. Carrots, peeled and diced
1c. Red Pepper, diced
1c. Sliced Mushrooms
2t. Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated
1/2t. Curry Powder
2T. Olive Oil
32oz. Container Coconut Curry Chicken Broth
Juice of 2 Limes
13-1/2oz. Can Coconut Milk
1/4c. Fresh Cilantro, chopped, or to taste
1 1/2c. Cooked Chicken, chopped

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook vegetables and spices in oil for 3-4 minutes. Stir in broth and lime juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat through. Serves 4.  

Gooseberry Patch has graciously provided a copy of Fresh from the Farmstand for me to giveaway to a Feminine Farmgirl reader!

Starting today and closing on May 11 @ Noon EST. Please leave a separate comment for each entry!

Entry #1 - If you have started your own collection of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, tell us which is your favorite! Otherwise visit Gooseberry Patch, look around at their cookbooks and tell us which one sounds the best to you.

Entry #2 - Like Gooseberry Patch on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gooseberrypatch

Entry #3 - Share the link to this giveaway post on Facebook

Entry #4 - Stop by their blog; leave them a comment (let them know you came from Feminine Farmgirl!)

Entry #5 - Join their Circle of Friends Email club

Special Entry: For those of you who tried the Ginger Carrot Bread, you get 5 more entries!!. '

Again, please leave a separate comment for each entry and don't forget to try the Thai Curry-Coconut Soup for dinner this week:)  


Thank you Gooseberry Patch for providing both the review and giveaway copies. All thoughts are my own.

Fresh from the Farmstand: Ginger-Carrot Bread

With many thanks to Gooseberry Patch, 

I have the opportunity to review their cookbook: "Fresh from the Farmstand"...and the best part: after tempting you all with a few of the delicious recipes, I get to share a cookbook with one special reader.  

Extra entries will be offered to all who try the Frosted Ginger-Carrot bread recipe! 

So grab your apron...ready...set...go!

Frosted Ginger-Carrot Bread

3c. Flour
2t. Cinnamon
1 1/2 t. Ground Ginger
1/4 t. Baking Powder
1t. Baking Soda
1t. Salt
1/2 - 2/3c. Crystallized Ginger, finely diced
3 Eggs
1c. Canola Oil (I use Applesauce)
1 3/4c. Sugar
2t. Vanilla Extract
1c. Carrots, peeled and grated
1c. Zucchini, yellow or pattypan squash, grated
Optional: turbinado sugar, chopped nuts

In a bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in crystallized ginger; set aside. In a separate large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Add oil, sugar and vanilla; beat until sugar dissolves. Add carrots and squash; mix gently until combined. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir gently. Coat two, 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" loaf pans with non-stick vegetable spray. Spoon batter into pans. Bake at 325 degrees for about one hour, until firm and a toothpick tests clean. Cool loaves in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Romove from pans; cool completely on rack. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting; sprinkle with sugar and nuts, if desired. If planning to freeze the bread, don't frost it until after it's been thawed. Yields 2 loaves.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

 

8-oz pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 c. Butter, softened
1t. Vanilla extract
2c. Powdered Sugar

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Reduce speed to low; beat in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy.

 A unique twist to your standard Zucchini bread, the ginger and carrot included in this recipe yields a winner that can be made with ingredients either fresh from your garden or local farmers market. The crystallized ginger adds a fun flavor that you wouldn't expect...it's delicious! 

 

Company Dinner Rolls

Add these "healthy" Company Dinner Rolls to a delicious dinner of homemade soup...yum!

Ingredients:

2 1/2c. Warmed Water (115 degrees F.)
1c. Cracked Seven Grain
1 1/2 T. SAF Instant Yeast
1/4c. Butter, softened
4T. Vital Gluten (optional)
4T. Dry Milk Powder
1/4c. Honey
1 Egg
2t. Salt
5-6c. {Freshly ground} Whole Wheat Flour

Combine warmed water, cracked seven grain and yeast. Sponge (let sit) for 15-30 minutes.

Add egg, butter, honey, dry milk powder, salt and vital gluten to the mixture on low speed.

Gradually add enough additional whole wheat flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Avoid adding too much flour, as that will make the roll too tough.

Knead the dough until the gluten is fully developed (5-8 minutes).

Raise dough for 30 minutes. Punch down dough and shape into rolls, by oiling your hands and shaping 1/4 cup-fulls of dough into balls. Place closely together but not touching onto greased baking sheets.

Allow the rolls to raise until doubled in size, at least one hour.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Yields 30-36 rolls.

The Goat Kids Have Arrived

Our first round of kidding season has come and gone here on our little farm. What a blessing to have our six older does kid within a week of each other for a total of 13 kids: 7 does, 6 bucks.

A week of witnessing the miracles born and most came during the day...extra plus!

Testify made kidding look easy - it was a good birth for some friends of ours to watch. They had come over to see the other kids that were born and as we turned around, she started pushing and wa la!

Laura enjoying a little goat friend...

Abigail with Triplet Does!

A busy week complete with attending the births, assisting some, bottle feeding, coxing the not-so-brilliant ones to eat (tube feeding a couple), later teaching them to eat on a lambar (bucket feeder), dehorning and now lots and lots of cleaning up.

Now what to do with some of those bucks...does any one need a wether???

She Extends her Hand to Bless

Last year during the early Summer, I was blessed to fellowship over lunch with a very sweet acquaintance.

As we shared what the Lord was teaching us, and later discussed new sewing projects for the rest of the year, I excitedly shared that Mom was expecting my 8th sibling...along the lines of sewing, mom and I had planned to make up cloth diapers and some baby slings. And of course, I was also excited about the fact that I wouldn't have to try out for Beauty and the Beast, a rather large giant of mine (fear) because I'd be at home helping Mom and holding an adorable little baby instead (a much better alternative!).

Over those few hours, we had a lot of encouraging conversations and I came away refreshed from talking with another young lady who loves the Lord and also has a vision for homemaking.

A few short weeks later, there was a knock on the door, and I was surprised to see Laura, arms loaded with delicious loaves of homemade bread, jam and a baby gift. She and her Mom had a heart to bless our family and wanted to bring some baked goods each month throughout my Mom's pregnancy...unknown to her, my little sibling had already entered into the gates of Heaven. It was an awkward situation, yet Laura was so sweet.

Just a month later, Laura called, and asked if she could please continue to bring baked goods, as it was something that they would really like to do. So each month, Laura has taken time out of her busy schedule and lovingly made and delivered delicious goodies.

My family and I have been blessed by not only her delicious gifts, but most of all Laura's beautiful example of a young lady who saw a way that she could bless us, and faithfully did so. Thank you, Laura!

"She extends her hand to the "poor", yes, she reaches out her hands to the "needy"."

Proverbs 31:20

Loving Earnestly When The Days Are Hard

With Valentine's day being in February, it is the month that everyone talks about love. Usually a "romantic" type of love...but certainly not the only kind!

Right now in my life, I have been meditating on a difficult type of love: the love that I need for my special needs sister. The Lord has chosen to give our family a few extra dynamics that some days feel impossible to love. Many moments are rough and very difficult to respond lovingly to - I'm tempted to think why the Lord placed the extra needs in our family?

Yet I remember that she is made perfectly in the image of God - that she is just as precious in the sight of Him as anyone... the conviction in my heart is strong; I want to love her with compassion, shower her with mercy, show an abounding amount of patience and invest daily in her life. Yet even with that desire, I feel incapable.

But by the grace of God, with His strength and only His, am I even able to try to love like Him. HE has equipped me with all I need to respond tenderly, earnestly and purely, with love...and with HIS help I will use those tools to love her "earnestly, from a pure heart"...even on the worst of days!

"Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart." 

1 Peter 1:22

This is the cry of my heart. Many days are rough and  just.plain.hard  but even then, I should love her fully from a pure heart. Gratefully, the Lord has left so many passages in Scripture to teach, train, equip and encourage my soul regarding true love towards my sister...from a pure heart.

She is beautiful in the Lord's sight! I pray that through the love {that by HIS strength} I am learning to show her, she will see how much she means to us...through showering her with sincere love from a pure heart, may she see how much Jesus loves her too.

Jesus is all I Need

This morning as I was snuggling with Laura, looking out the window at the gorgeous sun-rise, I was pondering the various trials that the Lord has brought us through (and is still bringing us through) and considering how the Lord would someday use them for our good...because right now the challenges certainly don't feel like blessings!

As the sun continued to rise, my thoughts turned to a wonderful promise:

The Lord is my strength and song, my joy, my everlasting Father! Not only will He walk me through each valley of difficulty, He will bring me out with JOY!

Because no matter what hardship/difficulty/trial, Jesus is all I need ~ He is the Lilly of the Valley, the Bright Morning Star, the horn of my Salvation, the reason that makes me smile. Jesus is all that is worth living for. That thought will make me smile all day, it's what I need to get me through the difficulties.

So today I smile! Because HE is my Heavenly Father and He has given me reason to be full of Joy!

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

Habakkuk 3:17-18 

The joy of the Lord, is my strength.

Her First Pie!

When organizing our over-flowing box of recipe cards, I came across a recipe for an easy and yummy Cranberry Pie. A simple yet delicious success, it is a great recipe for every aspiring chef.

 Requests being made frequently to help in the kitchen, Laura came running when she heard that I needed help...

and she made her very first pie!

Cranberry Pie

8oz. Cream Cheese, softened 

{made fresh from our abundance of real milk}

1c. Powdered Sugar

16oz. Jellied or Whole-berry Cranberry Sauce

8oz. Whipped Topping 

{made fresh from our abundance of real milk}

2 Graham Cracker Crusts {8"} Pie Shells

First she beat the cream cheese and sugar together and performed a taste test {I never need to ask her to do that!}. Then the little peanut opened the Cranberry sauce and stirred into the cream cheese and sugar mixture. {Taste test again}. I taught her how to {gently} fold in whipped topping and then we spooned the filling into the crusts {taught her a little math here: you have to split the filling in half to make two pies}. After tasting one last time, she put the lids on and we brought them to the freezer ~ until serving. 

What a happy little homemaker she is - and feels so successful, too.

Good job, Laura!

The Joy in Homemaking

The opportunities that we have as homemakers-in-training are abounding everywhere we look. 

Whether a daily task such as laundry folding, a weekly culinary duty such as baking bread, a bi-weekly errand to the grocery store or a seemingly "mundane" job (like scrubbing the household toilets), we have every opportunity imaginable to exercise and practice skills while we are yet "in training".

But there is more to being a homemaker, than the jobs which we can do. It has to do with our hearts. And it is our choice. Will we perform our homemaker duties with joy and delight in each task (which includes scrubbing the crummiest of toilets), or will we choose to frown upon these daily opportunities? Will we choose a servants heart or will we try to minimize the effect of being a blessing?

We can make a whole house sparkle from top to bottom but if our heart isn't full of love from Christ, then that perfect house means nothing. We can make a delicious supper for our family, or run an errand for Mom, but if our hearts are grumbling then our act that could have been a blessing, means nothing.

We can garden, can, clean, sew, take care of babies, run errands, meet every agricultural farm need, whip out loads of laundry in lightning speed, and make a mean pot of soup BUT if our heart is not thankful to the Lord for the blessing of being a homemaker in training, if we are not grateful and full of joy at our Proverbs 31 calling, then what a waste of the opportunity that the Lord gives us as women! 

The choice is yours - do you find joy in being a homemaker?

It's (Not That) Complicated - Review and Giveaway

*Giveaway is now closed*

One month ago I would have groaned inside if any Young Lady told me that they loved the young men in their life as "Brothers in Christ"...in my mind, it simply. wasn't. possible. They probably just hid behind "I-love-them-like-a-sister-in-Christ" to throw people off the scent of actually cradling a crush on the poor guy...

Is it really possible to love male friends as brothers AND have a pure, edifying relationship that is honoring your future spouse and your brother in Christ? What about all the the questions that boggle our minds such as "how to handle crushes"? "How close is too close"? Or are you asking yourself how you can be a "sister in all purity"???

In their new book: "It's {Not That} Complicated", sisters Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin tactfully address the concept of loving our male friends as true sisters who care more for advancing the kingdom of Heaven than for selfish and immature reasons - such as husband-fishing. They graciously share their Biblical insight on how to relate to the men in our life in a healthy, sane and Biblical way. The truth is, we girls make friendships a lot more complicated for ourselves than a Godly friendship truly is. The insight shared is excellent, well-written and is portrayed in a Biblical perspective with clean humor and many real examples.

In this book, Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin offer enduring Biblical principles that help clear all of our confusing emotions, unclear thoughts and questions on boys. If our heart is in the right place, it truly, is not that complicated! I highly recommend this book to all young women - you won't come away from this book without personal growth!

Would you like an opportunity to win this excellent and encouraging book?

Just comment for your first entry - if you're anonymous you MUST include your email in each comment

Extra Entries:

1.  "Like" "It's Not That Complicated" page on Facebook (1 extra entry)
2. Embed the "Its Not That Complicated" banner on your blog - 1 extra entry (Found HERE)
3. Post on your blog (include link to post in extra comment) - 1 extra entry
4. Share direct link to this giveaway on Facebook - 1 extra entry

Giveaway ends on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 and winner will be announced shortly after. 

Would you like another opportunity to win? Sophia's Siege has reviewed this wonderful book on her blog and is also offering a giveaway that ends on January 13th, 2012. Go HERE to enter.


We have a special winner!! Savannah from Seven Sisters was chosen by Random.org (#84). Congratulations!

A Life of Memories

As quickly as the year 2011 has passed, so has my childhood. Remembering back to "the good old days", memories flood my mind of all the fun that I had, with not many cares in the world and the precious innocence that only a child can possess...now looking back, I wonder why I was so rushed to "grow up"...(to me that was reaching 18 years of age)? Why I didn't just treasure the fleeting time? And why I took each year, each day for granted. Perhaps some of my innocence was a lack of understanding - that life truly is a vapor! Now I realize what a blessing each new day is. The question, am I using each day to be a testimony for God's glory? is repeatedly on my mind.

This past month I've been especially been remembering back to memories that I share with my dear friend, Bethany.

Our friendship has grown since we first met at 4 years old and it all started over purchasing eggs and milk from their farm (at that point we still lived in the city). We would spend afternoons in their "school house", playing the piano while singing on the top of our lungs and someone bouncing away on their pony-on-springs...we would dress up kittens in doll clothes, play in their barn, bounce on their trampoline and laugh at old pictures of our parents:) When her younger sister was born and my younger brother, we "switched" babies for the afternoon while home-churching with our families. Once they moved south a ways, our visits weren't as frequent, but our friendship continued to blossom. We started skating on the swamp at their new farm, and replaced our school house play with long double-bare back horse rides...we rode bikes for miles in the country side, floated down the river in black tubes and talked for hours in the hay loft. Our favorite memory was when we had a water slide running down the hill right into their manure pile. I couldn't leave this list of memories without making mention of us waking up each morning at 5 a.m. for about two years and chatting with each other for an hour...farm updates, life updates, prayer requests and all the questions we could think of. Goat shows and Nationals were wonderful too.

Then came the phone call last April - and many to follow - about a young man named Daniel, who quickly won her heart...we knew the day would come, but I suppose I just wasn't ready for it. Last week I witnessed my dearest friend enter into holy matrimony...while I was very, very happy and excited for her, my heart was pondering just a bit over how fast these years have flown by.

All the memories that we have shared, Bethany, I wouldn't trade for a thing. I love you so much, dear girl, and thank the Lord for the life long friendship that has grown between us. Through blessings and trials you have always been there for me, praying, challenging and encouraging me to keep trusting the Lord and have faith in His perfect will.

Congratulations on this new journey that you now share with your new best friend...God's richest blessings to you and Daniel!!