All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today. Unknown | The whirlwind is still producing dust on the farm. Everyone is flying. There are so many things happening and so much that needs to be done. Spring! Martin finally finished the chicken mobile for the laying hens after a thousand interruptions. The hens are happily scratching through the pasture looking for bugs. The broilers were moved out on pasture, too. It took a bit longer than anticipated because to accommodate 1000 birds, the guys had to build more pens. But, everyone's happy now. The sheep are waiting their turn to head for the green pastures. Every time you pass their corral, they let you know with loud baaing that they want your attention. That part of the barnyard will be a lot quieter when they get their way and are out in the field. On the pasture, the cows with their young calves are the envy of those still in the corral. They'll all be out as soon as the grass has more growth, which won't be much longer. Sad news from the calving corral. One morning we had three new calves, which you'll read about in Down On The Farm. In the evening, a first-time calver's calf died because it was born with a serious abnormality. There are always gains and losses, and the farmer needs to flow with them or be devastated. As it turns out, it seems this event will work to our advantage, working right into plans we've already made. | Can Cows See Color? ? The word "cattle" comes from the Old French language and means "property."
? Cattle have very good senses. They can detect smells from a far distance, hear very well, and their vision provides half of the sensory information that is received from their surroundings.
? Cows' pupils are horizontal, so they can't see up or down. But since their eyes are on the sides of their heads, they can get a broad picture.
? Cattle have a panoramic vision range of about 300 degrees. They cannot see directly behind them, and must turn their heads to do so.
? Cattle can only see a few colors and the ones they do see are faded. Being colorblind to red, green, and other versions of these, they see only a shade of black or grey.
? Bulls do not charge at the color red. It's the movement of the object that causes them to charge.
? Cattle distinguish long wavelength colors better. Colors such as orange are bright for them, but they don't see the shorter wavelength colors like green very well.
? Cows are more sensitive to sharp contrasts than colors, which makes them become alert when they see shadows. For example, a black fence near a white barn makes the cows shy away because of the contrast difference between the two objects.
? They can see better in the dark than humans because they have an area in the back of their eyeball that amplifies the low levels of light. For more fascinating facts about cows, check out Can Cows See Color?.
| ? | The word "cattle" comes from the Old French language and means "property." | | ? | Cattle have very good senses. They can detect smells from a far distance, hear very well, and their vision provides half of the sensory information that is received from their surroundings. | | ? | Cows' pupils are horizontal, so they can't see up or down. But since their eyes are on the sides of their heads, they can get a broad picture. | | ? | Cattle have a panoramic vision range of about 300 degrees. They cannot see directly behind them, and must turn their heads to do so. | | ? | Cattle can only see a few colors and the ones they do see are faded. Being colorblind to red, green, and other versions of these, they see only a shade of black or grey. | | ? | Bulls do not charge at the color red. It's the movement of the object that causes them to charge. | | ? | Cattle distinguish long wavelength colors better. Colors such as orange are bright for them, but they don't see the shorter wavelength colors like green very well. | | ? | Cows are more sensitive to sharp contrasts than colors, which makes them become alert when they see shadows. For example, a black fence near a white barn makes the cows shy away because of the contrast difference between the two objects. | | ? | They can see better in the dark than humans because they have an area in the back of their eyeball that amplifies the low levels of light. For more fascinating facts about cows, check out Can Cows See Color?. | | We raise the chicks in the barn for about 3 weeks until they've grown enough feathers to survive cooler nights. At this point they're ready for pasture. The birds are split up into 10-foot by 10-foot cages starting at one end of a pasture that's been recently grazed by sheep. The shorter, trampled grass provides more suitable bedding and renders the bugs easier to catch. And the tender pasture regrowth is much easier for the birds to digest than mature grasses. Every morning after the dew comes off, we move each cage ahead by a full ten feet, providing the birds with a fresh salad and a side of bugs, which they take full advantage of before resorting to their grain feeders. It should go without saying that we provide exclusively organic grain and clean Grander Living Water. This system also moves the birds away from their manure which means they are never exposed to any pathogen load. It keeps everything and everybody healthy and clean. Our birds have full access to sunshine and fresh pasture breezes that are 100% free of ammonia. The healthy pasture grasses make immediate use of the nitrogen in the manure to prevent any odors or runoff. The whole system is beautiful and clean, naturally providing meat that is clean, flavorful, and nutritious. | We're sold out of whole chicken, again. To be sure you get what you want, order now. Fresh whole chicken will be ready Friday, June 11th, chicken parts Sunday, June 13th. Order yours today. | Harvest Haven Pastured Boneless Chicken Breast - These are our "go to" favorites when we want something quick and tasty for a family dinner or serving guests. Moist, flavorful, and filling…they never disappoint. Harvest Haven Pastured Chicken Bone Broth – Bone broth has so many health benefits, especially for your joints and digestive system. Besides being a refreshing warm beverage, it's use in recipes is unlimited. Harvest Haven Butterball Potatoes, 5 and 10 lb bags – Creamy tender flesh with a smooth consistency and rich, buttery flavor make these potatoes a favorite. Mashed, baked, French-fried, scalloped, whatever you fancy, this potato will please. Valley Pride Organic Heavy Cream, 250 mL – There is really no substitute for real whipping cream. Harvest Haven Carrots – There's more to carrots than fresh sticks or steamed sides. How about a traditional carrot cake or a rich carrot cookie? Yum! Arla Organic Cream Cheese, 220 g – So creamy, smooth, and tasty! Perfect for spreading, dipping, sauces, and desserts. | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | Smothered Chicken 5 strips Harvest Haven beef bacon
2 large boneless skinless Harvest Haven chicken breasts
1/2 cup coconut oil or tallow, for frying Chicken Dredge
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, plain or Italian
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper Gravy
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups Harvest Haven chicken bone broth
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/3 cup half and half or cream
1 teaspoon soy sauce, can sub Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried sage Pre-work: Combine chicken dredge ingredients in a large plate. Set aside. Measure out gravy ingredients prior to beginning. Cook the Bacon: Fry bacon over medium-low heat until crispy on both sides. Remove from pan and pour grease into a heat-safe bowl. Reserve 2-4 tablespoons of clear bacon drippings. Wipe the pan clean. Slice & Pound the Chicken: While the bacon cooks, slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Place plastic over them and use a meat tenderizer to pound them to about 3/4 inches thick. This gives them a little more texture for the flour dredge to hold on to. They'll plump up more when cooked. Coat the Chicken: Coat chicken generously in the flour mixture, get in every nook and cranny. Sear the Chicken: Add the reserved bacon drippings to the clean pan and enough oil or tallow to cover the chicken by half. Heat over medium-high heat. Once heated and glistening, add the chicken. Fry 2 at a time for about 5 minutes per side, until they have a nice golden sear. Set aside on a plate. Drain the oil: Remove the oil from the pan and use a paper towel to remove any black spots from the pan, but leave any brown remnants. This is called 'fond' and will give the gravy a nice flavor. Make the Roux: Melt the butter over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to "clean" the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the flour gradually, whisking continuously, until a paste forms. Add the broth and half and half or cream: Add the liquid in small increments, whisking constantly. It will thicken up in between each splash of liquid. If you add it all at once, you'll "break" the roux and it won't be thick. Add remaining gravy ingredients: Slowly add the bouillon, soy sauce, and seasonings. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken back to the pan along with any juice from the plate. Chop up the bacon and add it to the top of the chicken. Cover partially and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees prior to serving. Garnish with parsley and serve with potatoes. | Simple Scalloped Potatoes 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dish
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
3 pounds Harvest Haven potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish and rub with garlic. Layer potatoes in dish, overlapping slightly. In a small bowl, combine milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Pour cream mixture over potatoes and dot with butter; cover with foil. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on top rack until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until top is golden in spots, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes before serving. | Oatmeal Raisin Carrot Cookies For the Cookies
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large Harvest Haven egg
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 cup finely shredded Harvest Haven carrots
1/4 cup raisins For the Frosting
4 oz Arla cream cheese, cold
1/4 cup butter, room temp
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract For the Cookies Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until a paste forms. Add in vanilla and egg and mix well. Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix! In a food processor, pulse the shredded carrots until they are in tiny little chunks. If you don't have a food processor you can also mince them with a knife. You do not want big shreds of carrots in these delicate little cookies so take the time and don't skip this step! Gently fold in the carrots and raisins. If the dough is a little stiff, you can loosen it up with 1 tsp of milk. Scoop cookies by rounded tablespoon onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake at 325 degrees F for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. (You want them to still be slightly soft so they're easy to bite into. Don't over bake until crunchy!). Move to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting. For the Frosting Beat vanilla and cold cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once powdered sugar is completely incorporated, add SOFT, room temperature butter and beat until well combined. For the Sandwich Cookies Frost the bottom of one of the carrot cookies, then place another cookie on top to make a sandwich. Repeat with all remaining cookies. Keep refrigerated. Enjoy. | A Confused Cowboy On pleasant evenings, Jeannie and I like to take a walk around the farm, check out the various pens and barns for critters and kittens, and scratch a few furry heads. As we passed the beef corral, I noticed a cow that looked close to calving and pointed her out. "What's her name?" I enquired, making a mental note so I would remember her name when she calved, which I expected to be any day soon. "Checkers." "Well, she looks like she could be next to have a calf." Moving on to the dairy corral, there was Jess, a cute little black heifer who also looked ready to calve. We were looking forward to her becoming part of the milk herd because she's part jersey. Jersey milk is rich in cream and great for butter and cheese. Cherry, our favorite milk cow, provides lots of delicious white milk, which is wonderful for drinking but impossible to separate into cream for butter or cheese. Her milk is almost naturally homogenized and has something in it that prevents it from spoiling or turning into cheese. The next morning, Jeannie sends me a text message to say there was a calf in the morning. "Checkers?" I ask, expectantly. "Nope. Jess had a pretty black and white one." "Yay! Butter and cheese on the way." A couple of days later, Jeannie lets me know that there's another calf. "It must be Checkers." "Nope. It was some other cow." I'm incredulous. A week later, Jeannie texts me a picture of a cow with a beautiful white calf. It's Checkers! "Bull or heifer calf?" I ask. "Both," was the message. "What?!" "Check the background of the picture." Sure enough. There was a little black and white calf curled up next to the fence. Checkers had twins – a bull AND a heifer. Then, Jeannie sent another picture of a cow and calf. "Who's this?" I ask. "That's Milkshake." "Wow! That's three calves waiting for you this morning. "What did she have? Bull or heifer?" "I didn't want to check. Mom has horns. :)" Shortly after Jeannie's text messages and pictures, Martin called to tell us the news about the twins. "I got up early to go for a walk around and stopped by the beef cows to see how they were. "I saw Checkers licking a robust white calf and Milkshake with her calf beside her. Then, I noticed another calf by the corral fence and wondered who it belonged to because all the other cows with their calves were out on pasture. None of the other cows in the corral were paying any attention to it, nor did any of them look like they had just calved. "When I went to check it out, Checkers became very defensive of it and began licking it. "I still had some cobwebs in my head because it was early and wondered why she was licking some other cow's calf. I was so confused. "Then, it hit me. Checkers had twins! "There I was, a confused cowboy corralled and covered with calves." | |
