Soup for the Polar Vortex
Monday I made a big pot of vegetable soup using what has become a standard process. Mirepoix of onion, celery, carrot and salt sautéed in a couple tablespoons of vegetable broth. Potatoes peeled and...
View ArticleRest of the Way Out
Seems like I’ve been hunkered down and bunkered in since apple season. I’ve been thoroughly funkified. With 45 days left until spring I’m restless to get out of my lair. The number of indoor places I...
View ArticleMarket and Linn Streets
Editor’s Note: Originally posted on Nov. 4, 2011. I live in the country, in case this is the first time you are reading this blog. In economic tough times, we have to multitask any resource use, so...
View ArticleDigging Out, Getting to Work
After four hours digging snow in the driveway wind came up and I shut down the operation. Mid-dig I made a cup of hot cocoa and took a break. I made it to the road, gaining access for when I … Continue...
View ArticleBrief Respite and T.V. Culture
The farmer sent a long text message. We delayed soil blocking because the forecast is cold overnight temperatures for the next week. The seedlings we might have planted would be at risk. Lambing at the...
View ArticleBird of Prey
There was no time to stop and get a photograph. While eastbound on Highway 382, a large bird lifted from the ground within my headlights and dropped a recently killed rabbit. It hesitated, perhaps...
View ArticleUsed Book Sale and Other Necessities
Yesterday was the annual used book sale at our library. In addition to clearing the stacks of unpopular or outdated books, the community donates books, media and labor to manage the sale. Each item is...
View ArticleTuesday Snow Melt
Depressions in the snow pack made a Swiss cheese-looking melt outside the French door where we feed wildlife. Deer are nocturnal grazers, eating what birds, squirrels and mice don’t, leaving their hoof...
View Article40 Acres Sans Mule
There is nothing magical about 40 acres in the 21st Century. Today’s American farmers can make a living on much less, largely because of crop diversification, technology, and emerging markets for...
View ArticleStarting Spring
It felt good to be outdoors on Friday. The sky was clear and temperatures warmed enough to shed my coat. Green-up has begun. We filed our income taxes with the Iowa Department of Revenue and the...
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