Life in the fields is the only profession in which man deals constantly with all the laws of the universe and life. – Louis Bromfield

Busy Busy

So much has been happening around the farm that I don't know where to begin. Starting chronologically won't help, either. Everything seemed to be happening at once.

The turkey poults arrived. With the windy, cold, and rainy weather, they had to be moved to a smaller barn, which is easier to keep warm. Comfy underneath the wooden hens, these fragile poults will remain in the smaller barn until they grow enough feathers to be warm out on pasture.

A B-train trailer load of roasted soy beans was delivered and augered into a big grain bin. But, it wasn't that simple. Because the chutes at the bottom of the trailer were so close to the ground, our auger wouldn't fit underneath. James had to use his mini excavator to dig a hole in the road to fit the auger. Done, and the driver was on his way back to Ontario.

It wasn't easy to find organic soy beans to feed the poultry. Martin had been working on this purchase since December/January. He found a farmer in Ontario who happened to be close to someone who roasts soy beans. (Soy beans are a good protein and energy source, but must be roasted. These plants contain enzyme inhibitors that interfere with the digestion and utilization of nutrients in the diets. Roasting destroys these antinutritional factors.) Then, trucking had to be arranged. It all got done, but took awhile.

The broilers were taken to slaughter, and all seemed to go well, except…. James said he was having a mechanical problem with his truck on the trip. Temporary insurance was arranged for James's other truck, the trailer was hooked up to it, and the guys headed back to the slaughtering facilities to pick up the processed birds. Twenty minutes later, James calls and says that truck is smelling funny and may have a problem with the motor. So much for the "best chicken day ever."

Martin took the first truck to James who was waiting on the side of the road, hoping they would be able to limp it along to get the processed birds. Not wanting to leave a problem unsolved though, before James headed out, Martin looked under the hood and found the problem. It was an easy fix, and they were off. Better late than never…

After getting back with the chickens, James looked at the other truck and found a simple issue there, too. Everything did go well with the broiler slaughter, just the trucks needed some help.

While Martin was having to deal with the truck issues and broiler slaughter, the construction crew was pouring cement for the greenhouse, which will be built this summer.

At the same time, our arborist friend had three big trucks delivering chips and wood, as well as a couple of guys to cut up the wood into usable pieces.

At one point, the driveway and parking lot was so full of big rigs that they had to take turns getting in and out. Just another day at Harvest Haven.

We finally have rain! The weather forecasters were warning of flooding for the rivers, so we knew there was lots of rain coming. Our gardens were all in and needed weeding. Everyone was out at 6:00 AM until late in the evening the day before it rained. Weeds keep growing in the rain, but you can't weed in the mud. Long days on the farm have their reward – clean fields and peace of mind.

Summer has arrived when you start looking for recipes using rhubarb. I would venture that most gardens have a plant growing in a corner somewhere.

• The precise origin of culinary rhubarb is unknown.
• The first rhubarb species were grown in Europe before the 18th century, and used for medicinal purposes.
• By the early 18th century, it was grown as a vegetable in England and Scandinavia.
• Although rhubarb is a vegetable, it is often put to the same culinary uses as fruits, such as pies, tarts, and crumbles.
• Using rhubarb stalks as food was first recorded in 18th and 19th century England after affordable sugar became more widely available.
• In the United States, because rhubarb is commonly used in pies, it became known as the "pie plant."
• Raw rhubarb is 94% water.
• Rhubarb leaves contain poisonous substances, including oxalic acid.

We've been receiving many more inquiries about Grander Water Revitalization and felt the need to have informative videos posted on our website to explain a bit about the technology and the products.

Grander Water is a product invented by an Austrian naturalist that puts the life back into water. In this short video, you'll see some of the most common Grander products used to revitalize your water and why it's important for your health and the environment.

We'll let you know as more videos about each of the products are posted.

Harvest Haven Pastured Top Sirloin Steak – This boneless steak is flavorful, versatile, and juicy. Serve barbecued, pan-fried, broiled, roasted, stir-fried, or in a tasty sauce.

Harvest Haven Chives – Fresh from the garden, these delicate, very mild onion flavored strands add a bit of raw onion punch and a dash of color to any dish they garnish. Even the beautiful purple chive flowers are edible with a very mild flavor. Toss in a salad or use as a garnish. The flowers can be pulled apart and the tiny petals scattered over the dish.

Harvest Haven Red Potatoes – These moist, smooth textured potatoes hold their shape well when cooked. Red-skinned white-fleshed, they are good for mashing, pan-frying, baking, and roasting. There's a variety of sizes for every dish.

Organic Lemons – Lots of love for lemons! Lemons with their distinct, pleasant taste and smell are used in many foods and drinks to enhance the flavor of that dish or drink. Besides being an important ingredient in many recipes, lemons also provide several health benefits, like most real foods.

Harvest Haven Rhubarb – 'Tis the season for fresh rhubarb. Throughout history, it has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Rhubarb became popular for desserts in the 18th and 19th centuries after sugar became widely available. But, it makes a spicey chutney or sauce to go with savory dishes, such as chicken or lentils.

Organic Walnuts, 250 g – So good for you, they should be a regular part of your meal preparation. Top your salads with chopped toasted walnuts, make a pesto sauce for pasta, toss into your favorite muffins, cake or dessert, use in granola, sprinkle on yogurt or hot cereal for breakfast.

Important: We keep all our nuts, including walnuts, in the cooler, so they are always fresh.

Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic.

Mathijs to the Rescue

Mathijs is a lot like his dad, Martin. Both of them have curious minds, studying their surroundings, looking for anomalies, and wanting to know how things work and why. And neither of them can leave a problem unsolved.

That's great for the rest of us who can be challenged by problems, especially mechanical ones.

The other evening, while using the air runner treadmill, Jeannie noticed the battery for the speed recorder needed to be replaced. Call Mathijs. He has a battery for everything.

While he was replacing the battery, his mom mentioned that the machine was making a funny noise. Aha, a problem to be fixed…a mechanical problem. His favorite. However, this one will have to wait until he has more time.

A few days ago, when it was crazy busy, a customer brought in a Berkey water filter that was leaking. Martin was dealing with another issue outside, so didn't get to the store right away. In the meantime, Mathijs and Marseilles were there to help.

Always curious about things, Mathijs asked what the problem was. Investigating the water filter, he found the issue and fixed it in minutes. Martin came in and confirmed that everything was working, and the customer was on his way.

While waiting for his appointment at the dentist's office, Mathijs heard the receptionist having issues with her computer. Not being shy, he asked what the problem was. After a brief explanation, he fixed it. Just like that!

Mathijs has helped me, too.

The phone rang. It was Harvest Haven.

"Hello," I answered, expecting it was Jeannie or Martin.

"What's wrong with this timer?" was the first thing I heard.

Startled by the question and the young voice on the other end, I had to think quickly about the situation. Yes, I had given my "broken" timer to Martin to fix and this voice must be Mathijs.

"Oh, hello Mathijs. The timer stopped working and I didn't know how to fix it. It may be damaged by a power surge."

"Okay. Dad just tossed it at me and said, 'Fix it.' When I asked him what was wrong and if it was really broken, he just said, 'I doubt it. You'll figure it out.'"

As I hear this, I'm thinking that I'm just a luddite unable to do anything.

"Well, Mathijs, it just stopped working. I tried to set it again, but it still wouldn't work."

"I see how it works. What time do you want it to come on and shut off?"

As we discussed the timings, Mathijs sounded confused. I had to tell him the times at least twice.

"What is this timer for anyway?" he asks incredulously.

"I need it to turn on at night and shut off in the morning for the Grander air unit I have beside my bed. I want it to run all night."

"Oh, okay. I thought it was for the grow light for your plants and thought it really strange that you wanted it on overnight," he replied relieved. He had observed that the same timer was set up for the grow light for some of my plants.

"I have it working now."

"Good. Did you get the instruction sheet for it? I left it in the box with unit."

"No, I didn't. I figured it out, anyway," he confidently answers.

I hear voices in the background and Mathijs talking to someone.

"I need to go. They don't know how to turn on the TV." And off he goes to rescue his sisters.