There is no time in modern agriculture for a farmer to write a poem or compose a song. — Masanobu Fukuoka | Summer Time and The Livin' Is Easy Not really… But, we did get a wonderful piece of equipment that makes the work easier. Our new Rohand is being appreciated by those who have to pick strawberries and do weeding. You'll see it in action in a video, which will be shared in a future newsletter. | Cutting and baling the hay is not an easy job, but it has been made more bearable for James with a bigger tractor that has a closed cab and air conditioning. This year's hay crop was thick and deep, so it has taken him longer to do the job. More broiler chicks have arrived. According to the weather forecast, it won't take much to heat their barn. The temperatures are going to be unusually hot! They'll grow fast and be out on pasture in no time. Even if some of us aren't able to write poems or sing, we're thankful for quiet times to enjoy the creations of others. Here's Mathijs serenading Jeannie, his mom while she was weeding the garden in the cool of the evening. One of our tame heifers wanted to hear him, too. We all enjoy quiet times with soothing music. | Do Trees Talk to Each Other? Yes, they do, says German forester and author, Peter Wohlleben in his book The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate. "A revolution has been taking place in the scientific understanding of trees, and Wohlleben is the first writer to convey its amazements to a general audience. The latest scientific studies, conducted at well-respected universities in Germany and around the world, confirm what he has long suspected from close observation in this forest: Trees are far more alert, social, sophisticated—and even intelligent—than we thought… "Trees of the same species are communal, and will often form alliances with trees of other species. Forest trees have evolved to live in cooperative, interdependent relationships, maintained by communication and a collective intelligence similar to an insect colony. These soaring columns of living wood draw the eye upward to their outspreading crowns, but the real action is taking place underground, just a few inches below our feet. "'Some are calling it the "wood-wide web,"' says Wohlleben in German-accented English. 'All the trees here, and in every forest that is not too damaged, are connected to each other through underground fungal networks. Trees share water and nutrients through the networks, and also use them to communicate. They send distress signals about drought and disease, for example, or insect attacks, and other trees alter their behavior when they receive these messages.' "To communicate through the network, trees send chemical, hormonal and slow-pulsing electrical signals, which scientists are just beginning to decipher. Edward Farmer at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland has been studying the electrical pulses, and he has identified a voltage-based signaling system that appears strikingly similar to animal nervous systems (although he does not suggest that plants have neurons or brains). Alarm and distress appear to be the main topics of tree conversation, although Wohlleben wonders if that's all they talk about … "Trees also communicate through the air, using pheromones and other scent signals. Wohlleben's favorite example occurs on the hot, dusty savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, where the wide-crowned umbrella thorn acacia is the emblematic tree. When a giraffe starts chewing acacia leaves, the tree notices the injury and emits a distress signal in the form of ethylene gas. Upon detecting this gas, neighboring acacias start pumping tannins into their leaves. In large enough quantities these compounds can sicken or even kill large herbivores. "Giraffes are aware of this, however, having evolved with acacias, and this is why they browse into the wind, so the warning gas doesn't reach the trees ahead of them. If there's no wind, a giraffe will typically walk 100 yards— farther than ethylene gas can travel in still air—before feeding on the next acacia. Giraffes, you might say, know that the trees are talking to one another. "Trees can detect scents through their leaves, which, for Wohlleben, qualifies as a sense of smell. They also have a sense of taste. When elms and pines come under attack by leaf-eating caterpillars, for example, they detect the caterpillar saliva, and release pheromones that attract parasitic wasps. The wasps lay their eggs inside the caterpillars, and the wasp larvae eat the caterpillars from the inside out. 'Very unpleasant for the caterpillars,' says Wohlleben. 'Very clever of the trees.' "A recent study from Leipzig University and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research shows that trees know the taste of deer saliva. 'When a deer is biting a branch, the tree brings defending chemicals to make the leaves taste bad,' he says. 'When a human breaks the branch with his hands, the tree knows the difference, and brings in substances to heal the wound.'" For more fascinating information about the life of trees, read this article. God's creation is so amazing, and we really know nothing about it. | The strawberry harvest has begun and will last only another couple of weeks. If you want flats of Harvest Haven strawberries, please email your request NOW. We'll let you know when we have your order filled. Because these are June berries, there will be fresh fruit for only a short time. For those who are in Calgary and any where between here and there, we can arrange to get strawberries to you. Reminder: we are NOT doing U-pick anymore. We do the picking for you. | Harvest Haven Pastured Beef Wieners – Juicy, flavorful all-beef wieners made from the finest Harvest Haven pasture-raised beef with no fillers at all. Gently seasoned for a delicious repast. Harvest Haven Hot Dog Buns – Light and fluffy homemade buns made with simple organic ingredients (unbleached white flour, eggs, oil, cane sugar, and sea salt) and baked in the wood-fired oven. Unique to Harvest Haven. Harvest Haven Greens – Nothing compares to freshly picked greens from the garden. When you come into the store, let Jeannie know you want some of them and she'll pop out to the garden while you shop for the rest of your groceries. We have a variety of lovely lettuces – romaine, leaf, butter, and salad mixes. Add to these spicey mustard, peppery arugula, and earthy dandelion greens. Harvest Haven Radishes – You love the sharp bite fresh radish gives to salads, but did you know about its health benefits? Radishes are high in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure; they support generation of collagen, which helps keep blood vessels heathy; and they are good for hydration, providing more energy, boosting your mood, and improving the look of your skin. Fresh Harvest Haven Strawberries– You've been waiting for these and they're here! The strawberry harvest has begun and will last only another couple of weeks. If you want flats of Harvest Haven strawberries, please email your request NOW. Organic Pecans, 180 g – This native of northern Mexico and the Southern United States is a nutrition powerhouse packed with vitamins and minerals. Their rich, buttery flavor and natural sweetness make a tasty snack and a delicious addition to your baking. | Please note, all ingredients in our recipes are organic. | French Onion Hot Dogs 1/4 cup butter
2 lb white onions, sliced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
6 Harvest Haven hot dog buns
6 Harvest Haven wieners
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat them in the melted butter. Cook the onions for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until they are soft, golden in color and caramelized. Stir them occasionally while they cook and lower the heat if they are browning too fast. If they start to dry out you can add a tablespoon or so of water to the pan. Just before they are done, add the vinegar and stir until it's mostly evaporated. While the onions cook, make the sauce by combining the mayo, mustard, parsley, and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Keep it cold in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the hot dogs. Once the onions are done, transfer them to a bowl. Place the hot dogs in the same pan and cook them over medium heat until the skins crisp and they brown in spots. Place the hot dogs in the buns, which have been sliced through the top. Top them with the mayo sauce and pile the caramelized onions on top. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the onions. Broil the hot dogs in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. | Butter Leaf Lettuce Salad 1 head butter leaf lettuce torn into bite-size pieces
1 small bunch Harvest Haven radishes sliced paper-thin
2 Harvest Haven eggs, hard boiled
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped Croutons:
2 large slices of Harvest Haven sourdough bread, cut into croutons
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste Dressing:
2 heaping teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-2 cloves Harvest Haven garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
Salt & pepper to taste Preheat over to 350 F, and move the rack to the top position. Add the crouton ingredients to a baking sheet and toss together until evenly coated. Bake for 15 minutes. Cook your eggs. Let them cool in cold water until you're ready to peel them & assemble the salad. Meanwhile, add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl except for the olive oil and dill. Slowly whisk the oil in a little bit at a time until you have a nicely emulsified mixture. Add the dill in right before you're ready to serve the salad. Prep your radishes, parlsey, and lettuce, and add them to a large bowl. Peel & cut the eggs up into whatever size pieces you prefer. Add the croutons. Pour dressing over top and toss the salad together. Serve immediately. | Fresh Strawberry Pie For the Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pretzels
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted For the Filling:
2 pounds fresh Harvest Haven strawberries, tops removed, divided use
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, chopped pretzels, pecans, and sugar. Stir in the melted butter until well combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. Set in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling. Prepare the filling: Place 1 1/2 cups of the berries into the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree. Add the sugar, boiling water, and cornstarch and blend until smooth. (Must use boiling water for mixture to set.) Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture starts to boil, continue to boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will be very thick and should become less cloudy and more jam-like as it cooks. After 3 minutes, remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and allow the glaze to cool while you prepare the rest of the strawberries. Cut the remaining strawberries depending on their size - cut very large berries into eighths, and smaller berries into quarters or halves. Stir the cut strawberries into the glaze and pour into the prepared crust. If desired, arrange the strawberries cut-side down. Chill the pie for 2 hours, until the glaze has set. Keep the pie chilled until ready to serve. Pie is best served the same day it is made. Serve with fresh whipped cream. | Victor's New EP: To Hell and Back From Victor: I've been to Hell. Most of you are in Hell. You just don't know it. I'm out now. Most of you aren't. For one who's been there and out, it's usually easy to tell who is and who isn't. But having come out, I can tell you there's hope for a way out. In this album, my songs speak of Hell, of those who put you there, try to keep you there, try to convince you you're not there, and that there's no better place to be than where you are. Little do we realize how we are the most responsible for being in Hell. "The buck stops here," is a true saying. What we sow we reap. What we don't sow we don't reap. You sow Hell, you reap Hell. You don't sow Hell, you don't reap Hell. It's fairly straightforward. Your choice. I used to like Hell, but since coming out and tasting far better, I find I don't like Hell after all, and hope I don't ever find myself back there again. The songs in this album:
Got Nothin' to Live For vividly represents my physical, financial, occupational, social, mental, and spiritual condition in 1972, my final and most intense year of a terrible, plunging state of affairs before the Lord lifted me up out of a horrible pit and set me down on some solid ground to start life all over again in 1973. The Power of Jesus, written in 1976 to sing the Lord's praises, is one of the first joyous and energetic songs the Lord gave me in the early days of my walk with Him. Ah, it was new life, and the saints, prophets, and angels sang with me all the way! Up Is Down and Down Is Up – On my exit from the lowest regions of Hell, I began to discover I had been lied to – by my parents and church, mostly. And that's because they had been lied to and believed those lies so that they solemnly and devotedly taught them to their children. That's what Hell is all about. In Hell, you don't have a clue. You only get wise to Hell after you come out. Satan Came to My House describes how Satan comes in people to try to deceive and mislead one gently, lovingly, and piously off the path of freedom and spiritual obedience to God. Isn't he the "angel of light" as the Scriptures declare? No horns, tails, nails, claws, fangs, hooves, fire, smoke, and bloodshot eyes in sight. No, one can hardly suspect any nefarious motives there at all. Stoning the Mirror – Hell is a hall of mirrors. People see, point to, rail on, and blame themselves while thinking they're seeing and blaming those holding up the mirror to their faces. Hell has a way of disclaiming all evil and claiming all innocence. "Born full of lies we are," as the song, Up Is Down and Down Is Up goes. Hell is confronted with a powerful purification agent to do away with lies and fantasies. That agent is Truth. Nothing stronger, and nothing Truth can't clean. The Inconvenient Truth – How do we get to Hell? We're born there. How do we stay in Hell? We kill. We'll kill anything to have our selfish way. Hell, we'll kill the fruit of our own wombs if we have to, no problem. That's why we're in Hell. Everywhere Hell goes, death is there. Everywhere the stench of death is, Hell is there. You can count on it. They Will Be Set Free – There is a people that have long dwelt in Hell, notwithstanding their fleeting blessings and respite in this world provided by the Almighty One Who chose them to be His. Those chosen of God must suffer Hell. They must be purified to be His chosen. The day will come and is now here wherein they will say, "Lord God, we abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes. We see now that we're especially blessed! We bless, praise, and thank You for granting us the unspeakable privilege and joy of being Your chosen people." To Hell and Back. It's now Take Two! Enough talk about Hell. Heaven is the place to be. Hell teaches us that. Been in both places. I like Heaven better. I'm there now, thanks to the King of both Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Heaven and Hell are how you take them and how you make them. We make our beds in both places. It's a matter of choice, of doing or dying. | |
