Grown by our Amish Friends, Thoroughly Enjoyed by All
Oh, how time flies. I can't believe our newest chicks are already three weeks old. And I couldn't believe it when I saw a couple dozen ears of freshly harvested sweet corn stacked next to the zucchini and yellow squash and cucumbers (I've been eating so many cucumbers!) at our local Amish produce stand the other day. It seems so early. Of course I can't believe it's the first of July either—or that our parched, sunbaked fields already look like it's the middle of August.
"CORN!" I kind of screamed. I don't think normal people get as excited about vegetables as I do. At least not in public.
"It's wormy," she warned, as I started shoving ears into a bag. Who cares! To me, worm damage at the tips is a sign that the corn is organic, and you simply cut that part off. Besides, to a chicken, the piece with the live worm still on it is the prize.
I devoured three barely cooked ears (three minutes in boiling water) for lunch, rolling them directly on a stick of butter (it's the only way to really get the butter evenly all over) and sprinkling them with lots of salt and freshly ground pepper. Then the chickens devoured the husks and my scraps—not that I left much for them.
I've been taking pictures of these chicks every few days (always while they're eating, since that's pretty much all they do, although they haven't had a pizza party yet) because I want to post a little time lapse series that shows you how quickly they grow up, but I couldn't help skipping ahead to these sweet corn photos first.
The chicks are getting into that silly, scruffy 'in-between' stage now, which in its own way is almost cuter than the baby fluff stage. Almost.
© 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the peep-peep-PEEPing foodie farm blog where today's big plans to catch up with comments and correspondence and post my homemade bbq sauce recipe along with a great bbq book giveaway (check back this weekend!) were derailed last night by a wasp that stung my wrist just as I was finishing up chores. Ouch. Again. My hand and arm are still swollen and hot and itch like crazy, making it difficult to do pretty much anything—but at least it isn't my butt.
Reading your story about the wasp attack made my thoughts go diretly to my home remedy: Windex or better yet, the house brand from the local supermarket. Takes the sting out of bee and wasp stings on humans and critters. Also I use it instead of more expensive cleaners in the kitchen and bathroom. Also eliminates ants and etc. Oh, yeah, windows too : )
ReplyDeleteNo need too answer this, it's just a small note.
Susan....won't help with the swelling, but will help with pain. As soon as you get stung, rub a newly cut onion on it for several minutes. Works like a charm!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Liz
http://araratacres.blogspot.com
So cute! We have one rooster chick that is in the skinny-not-so-cute stage. I’m just surprised he’s lived this long with all the chicken snakes around here.
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that dabbing Clorox Bleach on a sting a couple of times works. You can even do it way after the fact.
ReplyDeleteIt's an old country method that my husband taught me.
The chicks are just too "stinkin" cute. Love the pictures. We had fresh corn last night. Was from the grocery store, but it was the best I could do until ours makes.
That is if the raccoons don't find it.
Have a happy 4th of July!
I keep a small bottle of roll-on DMSO around the house for burns, blisters and bee stings. It's only about $4 at the feed store. Keeps the swelling down and the pain away.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you have sweet corn the same time we do, I guess once the sun starts shining, everything catches up.
My early chicks are half grown now, but the late batch is about 2 weeks old and almost ready to go out. They didn't stay with the mom, she didn't want them, she went back to the nest and just hatched a single baby that she's quite proud of. I haven't minded brooding her other chicks in my dining room, it's not like we ever eat in there. And it's great to spoil them when they're small so they're easier to catch when they're outside.
I used a baking soda paste when I got stung on my, ahem, behind last summer. Worked pretty well. Those line dried clothes can be a menace. I live in fear of missing a stinging bug in one of the baby's diapers. THAT would be a bad scene.
ReplyDeleteOh, and there IS another way to get butter all over the corn: butter a relatively soft piece of bread and then wrap it around the corn and rub it all over. And then you get to eat a piece of bread with melty butter all over it. YUM.
Your chicks are darling! I've been taking lots of pictures of mine and posting about them frequently on my blog, too. What breeds do you have?
ReplyDeleteSo jealous that you found some corn. I haven't seen any yet here. Can't WAIT!! I somehow knew that you'd be someone who butters their corn the only right way. It's so efficient and thorough when you roll the ear on the stick. No other way works quite as well.
ReplyDeleteThat is cute! Who can resist cute? Chickens are endlessly fascinating, they are so resourceful and love eating almost as much as I do!
ReplyDeletecorn on the cob--best chicken treat ever!
ReplyDeleteLove the chicks they are so cute! I used to play with my grandparents chicks when I was little. I live in Missouri as well so I can relate to all the weather you have to deal with. Have a wonderful 4th.
ReplyDeleteSarah
It is so nice to hear someone else likes their corn almost raw. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me. Thanks for the lovely pictures.
ReplyDeletejudy
Try a comfrey poultice on the sting; comfrey has drawing properties and should help it feel better. If you don't have comfrey, Adolph's meat tenderizer can be helpful too. Hope the swelling goes down in time for you to enjoy Independence Day.
ReplyDelete