Signs of Spring

Signs of spring appear as the weather warms: a few more birds, interest in basketball and eggs. The chickens very accurately measure the day length and perk up. Suddenly after a long dry spell, there are eggs again. At first just one, a fluke? No, now each day there are 5-7 eggs. Chores much more pleasant with these small gifts. I put them in my pocket and try to remember they are there before an enthusiastic disrobing ends up with a wet, gooey pocket. Already the eggs are building up and I will have something else to barter. I am hoping that several of the Buff Orpingtons will get broody and that there will be some chicks this spring. I have tried doing them in the incubator but the hens know just when to turn the eggs so that they hatch. [These wonderful pictures are again taken by my talented mother, Meredith. Thanks mom!]

Optimistic Bread

Basic things really are reassuring. Comfort food took on a new meaning this afternoon as I took a loaf of fresh bread from the oven. It was not just any bread. It was home made. In it was an egg from my chickens honey from my neighbors freshly ground wheat from another neighbor It was very very good. Renee Bartz came over the day before to use my fanning mill. A fanning mill is a wonderful Dr. Suess machine that removes chaff, grasshopper parts, weed seeds and other "extras" from grain. A big grin covered Renee's face as she cranked the handle on the machine and out of one shoot came the un-thrashed heads of wheat, another the weed seeds, another the light, broken wheat, and into the bottom hopper came the wheat. In exchange I got a zip lock back of wheat kernels. I put them in my electric mill and into the hopper poured the flour. The metal burrs of the grinder heated the wheat but its smell was wonderful. Right then and there I whipped up a loaf of bread. This bread is comfort food in the best sense of the word. It made me know that I could have the best bread possible using resources close to my farm. Living on the farm, I know that I can feed myself and many others if necessary. Right now all I have to worry about is how to not eat the whole, warm loaf with the butter soaking into the bread... drooling?