Signs of Spring

Spring is here, both on the calendar and on the ranch. The snow is starting to melt and our new calves will soon be born. This past week we moved our cows closer to home where they will calf.

As the calves are born and begin to romp, we will also be watching the spring birds return, the trees bud, and the new green grass sprout. We know this is a busy season, but we joyfully anticipate all the new life that spring brings.

From the Farm to My Table

While sipping my coffee and thumbing through a cookbook the other day, I came across a new recipe that sounded good, Chicken Spinach Lasagna. It had a lot of good ingredients. I quickly got my grocery list and started writing down what I would need on my next trip to the store.

With my shopping bags in hand, I headed for the grocery store. In my cart I had chicken breasts, chopped spinach, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, onions, mushrooms, soy sauce, corn starch, cream of mushroom soup, lasagna noodles, parmesan cheese, and pecans. The shelves in the grocery store were full of choices and options, and I found all of my recipe ingredients easily. Now I was set to fix my family this new dish.

Indeed, the Chicken Spinach Lasagna was delicious. But the most amazing part of this dish was the fact that so many farmers had a hand in making my dinner so good. From the chicken producer, to the dairyman, to the vegetable and wheat farmers, it took a lot of man hours to bring my meal to the table. I, also think of those in the process that shredded the cheese, chopped the spinach, shelled the pecans, and packaged the noodles that made my time in the kitchen fun and convenient. This dinner was truly a labor of love.

So next time you try a new recipe or fix an old favorite, take time to be amazed at the abundance and variety of foods that are produced and available to us.

Weather Observer

"Weather or not,” is often the deciding factor in many of our decisions. The weather does dictate our work schedule, travel plans, and appointments. We know that the weather is different every year and that each season brings about a new set of weather challenges.

Our family has been recording weather data for many years. Our uncle was a weather observer for the National Weather Service for over 80 years. Today, my husband carries on that tradition by reporting the daily high and low temperatures, and measuring any moisture that comes in the form of rain or snow.

The weather information we collect is interesting and becomes part of the National Weather Service’s database. My husband keeps a running tally on moisture totals throughout the year and often compares his information with past years. Since everything we do on the ranch depends on moisture and weather, we find the data very useful.

I’ve attached a short video showing how we measure the moisture content of snow. The snow is collected in the outdoor collection can. Then we simply melt the snow, by running hot water over the can in the kitchen sink. After the snow is melted, my husband pours the water into a cylinder and accurately measures the amount. It’s an easy chore, but a daily one that we take seriously.

I'm Back

When I started this blog eleven months ago, I was excited to share my thoughts from the ranch. As the spring got busy, I missed a couple of my personal writing deadlines and I slipped away from my blog. I think getting out of the habit of writing is a lot like giving up on a new year’s resolution. But, I’m back and I’m going to do my best to make this blog interesting!

So pour yourself a cup of your favorite coffee and let me bring you up to date. --- It is now the time of year that we are in the feeding mode. Our days are spent feeding the yearling replacement heifers, the bulls, and the cows. We were blessed with a good hay crop last summer and have plenty of hay to see our cattle to green grass. This winter has been fairly snowy and we are hopeful for good spring runoff to grow grass and provide for irrigation for this coming summer.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts from the ranch with you as the year progresses and the seasons change.