Welcome to the Friday Farm Fix, a new series on Farmgirl Fare where I share a random sampling of what's been happening around the farm during the past week (mostly on Fridays). Just joining us? You'll find all the Friday Farm Fix posts here.
Our favorite hot summer dinner? BLTs on freshly baked Farmhouse White.
There isn't much to show and tell from the farm this week. Hot days, dry skies, burned up fields, blister beetles, same same. I haven't been feeling well for the last few weeks, and when I wasn't lying in bed, we were in the truck driving 500 miles to various clinics, labs, and other places that were seriously short on photo ops (rural living + no health insurance = lots of traveling).
On Thursday morning while we were sitting in a waiting room several counties away, a guy walked by and said something to Joe about the rain they'd had there that morning. "At least I won't have to water the yard," he said, and then added, "I sure feel bad for the people who are trying to make a living farming."
I smiled wanly and half-heartedly raised my hand. He looked at me.
"You're a farmer?"
Yep.
We're not alone of course. All 114 counties in Missouri have been declared federal disaster areas because of the devastating heat and drought. We had 1/10th of an inch of rain fall while we were gone on Thursday, which is better than nothing, but not by much. Yesterday it rained for about 10 minutes. That was it for the week. Last week we got a quarter inch.
I thought I might have to skip the Friday Farm Fix this week, but it turns out I did make a few fun pictures. Another BLT dinner (no complaints here; we're having them again tonight), some pretty purple in the kitchen garden, a zucchini butter photo shoot (recipe hopefully up soon), heading in for sheep working Sunday, and of course some of our 50+ chickens, because it seems like they're everywhere. My favorite big black cat was seemingly everywhere too. Garden companion, photo stylist, mighty hunter. He catches a lot of rabbits.
Cooler weather, ample rain, medical answers. All we can do is enjoy the bounty of the season—including the juicy Missouri peaches, six pints of cherry tomatoes, and several more pounds of zucchini I bought on the way home Thursday—while we wait for everything to hopefully turn out fine.
12 more farm photos below. Hover over each picture for a description. . .
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Want a bigger farm fix?
Friday Farm Fix #18
Friday Farm Fix #19
© FarmgirlFare.com, where this has to be the first Friday Farm Fix that doesn't include any pictures of beagle Bert. And no donkeys either. We can't let that happen again.
Friday Farm Fix #19
© FarmgirlFare.com, where this has to be the first Friday Farm Fix that doesn't include any pictures of beagle Bert. And no donkeys either. We can't let that happen again.
Doing the rain dance for you, and get well wishes too!
ReplyDeleteGreat looking sandwich which must be so good with homemade bread. I really like the two young chicks picture with the boards behind, very nice.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to you...I'm a city gal now, but all of "my people," as we like to say in my home state of Kentucky, were farmers. This drought is so dreadful...rain dance for you from here, too! I actually live in San Diego now, one of the few places in the country NOT being affected by drought (though it seemed like a dry winter, when we get all of our rain for the year). Hoping for a weather miracle! P.S. Love your chickens!
ReplyDeleteThe sandwich looks wonderful. I made your bread recipe on Friday and have loved serving it to my husband. I made it one other time as well. I found your blog this summer and like it so much. I feel like we're kindred spirits in many ways. Keep writing and I hope so much that you are feeling better real soon--a change in the weather would help-
ReplyDeleteWe're parched in my part of S.C.
Lee
Wishing you rain...good health...cooler weather. (After very little rain for months, the sky has finally opened up in CT although we have occasional violent storms. Rain = relief on so many levels.) Things will turn out okay...but in the meantime I wish you abundant patience because waiting it out is tough. Thank you for lovely farmphotos...please let there be rain!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear of your physical ailments, Susan, hope things get much better for you very soon. I keep watching the weather reports for the Midwest, hoping to see rain blanketing Missouri, and worry about you folks and your menagerie every time I see that once again it's not gonna happen. Thanks for putting in the effort to keep us updated and charmed with pics of the beasts and the feasts, I am guessing your spirits are lower than you are letting on but you're doing a great job of hiding it. Wish I could send you some of the rain we keep getting in NYC...
ReplyDeletesorry to hear you are feeling ill, I hope you get better soon. (I think we are getting all your rain, we finally had a few sunny days, but its raining again here)
ReplyDeleteLove your photos, as always. I especially liked the outdoor food shot where Mr. Midnight blends into the shadows so well, all I saw were the cat eyes floating there at first. I always try to tell myself that I wouldn't appreciate the good times so much if I didn't have bad times to compare them to, but enough is enough! Wishing you good news on all fronts! Sharon from Maine
ReplyDeleteHere's to better days for all of us. Feel better soon --we love you.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear your not feeling well. I got all excited here yesterday because it clouded up and the temp dropped and it thundered. Then only sprinkled. Ugh. We're doing the rain dance here, so we'll send some your way if we ever get any!
ReplyDeleteI'm praying for a week of slow gentle rain for you. I'm sure it will help your ailment as much as any medicines. May God bless you with good health, rain and more rain! Love you and your blog!
ReplyDeleteWhat a weird year for weather, everywhere it seems. We in S. Ontario have just started getting rain. Will try to send some your way. Hope for good news and your quick recovery. I enjoy reading your adventures and your recipes, keep the sunny side up
ReplyDeleteYour not feeling well for several weeks is worrisome and I hope the docs find out what it is soon. Thinking of you and praying for a positive outcome - health-wise and weather-wise.
ReplyDeleteHaving Pancreatitis I can sure sympathize with your health situation. I hope that the doctors find out what ails you and that you have a speedy recovery. I can say, from first hand experience, if I did not have medical insurance there is no way in hades the doctors would ha ve pulled my gall bladder...but, pull they did and now I have chronic Pancreatitis. So, not having insurance, Susan, just might save your life! I hope so anyway.
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog....I mean, your life story! It is like going home to Walton's Mountain and having the family gather all around to share the day's events. ( I have a very vivid imagination :-)
Now, as for the weather, there is a very simple explanation for that, and, as scary as it may sound to most, it is, nontheless, related to a lot of different factors. 1) Magnetic North is shifting towards Siberia at a rate of 37 miles per year. 2) Our magnetosphere is diminishing. 3) The Sun is at Solar Maximum and it is throwing "fits" ( Coronal Mass Ejections or otherwise known as CME's ) left and right this past month. The solar winds from these ejections are being clocked at phenomenal speeds which interferes greatly with satellites and our weather here on Earth. 4)All Planets in our Solar System are heating up as well as Earth. We are currently experiencing a major uptick in Vulcanism, Tsunami/Earthquake events, Deluges, Droughts, Landslides, Sinkholes opening up and swallowing homes, Massive fires, Lakes and rivers dissapearing overnight, animal migrations, Animal dieoffs and much much more that is all in direct correlation to the Sun's activity.
Well, I know that I have said way more than most want to read, but, I would want someone to give me heads up on what is really happening and not that watered down version those eerily smiley feelgood anchors give on your local and national weather and news channels.
Is there anything I can do to help your health situation? Let me know.
Hope you are feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteOkay, the first thing I hate is people telling me what to check in the way of my health, but here I am going to do it to you. Have you been checked for giardia? I have no idea what your symptoms are, it could be totally unrelated, but I have been "under the weather" since the 1st of July, and it turns out I have giardiasis and have had bouts of it for a year. I was in the "acute" phase in July of 2011 when I came back from a well know SoCal amusement park with water rides. But I didn't connect it with the massive "flu" (or so I thought) that I came down with after coming home. Been having "stomach bugs" every two months or so for the past year. It was a friend who made the suggestion, and it turns out she was right. Still not done with the treatment, but already significantly better.
ReplyDeleteI now just like to toss that out when people are "under the weather" for weeks.
Take care.
Hi Jan Marie,
DeleteThanks - that is definitely the kind of info I think is worth tossing out there, just like you said. You never know who it could help. I'm so glad you figured out what is wrong and are on the mend!
Thankfully that's not what I have. I didn't want to get too personal in my post, but it's a female problem. We're just trying to figure out what exactly is wrong and why I'm in so much pain. :)
Ah, had those too at one point - ugh. I do hope you get it figured out soon. From one uninsured gal to another: All best wishes!
DeleteThat is very good info, Jan Marie! I was visiting my granddaughter in San Antonio in June of this year and caught a nasty, nasty virus that I brought back to Michigan with me. I sure did not think that it might be giardia!? Luckily I had some antibiotics on hand and ate them like to candy so am not suffering so much anymore. Thanks for telling your story!
DeleteHi Everybody,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all of your kind words and supportive comments. They really mean a lot. You guys are the best. And we even had a little bit of rain today, so thanks, too, for doing those rain dances and sending those prayers. Please keep them coming! :)
I have been doing the rain dance for months... it hasn't worked here in the middle of Missouri so far. Bah!
ReplyDeleteBesides having to start out cows on hay in June and having to pay crazy prices for our goat's winter hay... we are also having to postpone our wedding! We had planned for it to be in September on our farm, with the ceremony in front of our pond. Well, everything is dead and crispy, and the pond dried up weeks ago and turned into a giant mud pit. So much for that plan!
Prayers to you Susan for relief from what ails you and drenching rain. My prescription for you is rain, rain, and lots of it. Hoping you are feeling better very soon. Thanks for the updates when you are able. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteI love your blogs: the photos, the recipes, and hearing about your way of life. I truly hope you get things figured out and start feeling better. There's nothing worse than feeling yicky for weeks on end.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a rain dance too!
Glad ya'll got a little bit of rain and I have my fingers crossed for more for you! Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. The no insurance thing really sucks, I know. I hope they get you up and running soon.
ReplyDeleteLove all the pictures this week, especially food stylist Mr. Midnight!
So hoping for rain soon! Heard an agriculture report today that crops are failing and price are going up and up....hopefully we get rain soon enough.
ReplyDeleteHello susan,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about the health issue; I do hope it is nothing to worry about and that you will be up and running very soon :)
We are having the same problem of extreme heat wave and no rain, in central Italy. It has been in the 100th for ages; though it rained a bit a week or so ago, just for a day, then nothing.
Your Mr Midnight looks like my cat Luna :) so cute.
Anyway, I'm glad you posted the Friday Fix, as I do wait for it on tenterhooks :)
Get well soon and fingers crossed for rain.
Cyrene
I hope you are feeling well very soon
ReplyDeleteAnd hoping that it rains, of course. We had one fabulous thunderstorm last week ( you could hear the earth drinking it up, I swear) and were promised more all this week but no joy.
Really loving the look of that eggplant and the makeshift veggie tent.