106.5 inches (of snow) and counting

"106.5 INCHES and counting".  That was this morning's headline in our county newspaper The Star Beacon.  The article talked about how much snow has fallen so far this season in Pierpont Township which is about 6 miles east of us as the crow flies.  Pierpont has the highest land elevation in the county so it has the honor of having the most lake effect snow dumped on it each winter.  The article states that the last 10 winters, Pierpont has averaged 159 inches of snow for the season.  The article also mentions Dorset Township as having 120 inches of snow or more in 4 of the last 5 years.  Our farm is located in between Pierpont and Dorset Townships so I would guess we are somewhere in between in snowfall.  The nice thing about late winter is that when the water of Lake Erie freezes, the lake effect snow machine shuts off.  Well mostly.  We always seem to get a little push from Lake Huron, but less of the big snowfalls that we get in early winter.  Of course then the lake melts in the spring and we've had a few 20+ inch snowfalls in March and April.

Not too much outside farming is going on right now as you can imagine.  I did manage to get all three dogs out for a 90 minute walk in the woods yesterday and then took the beagles for a 4 hour walk in the woods today.  The snow does slow them down some, but they seem quite happy burying their heads in the snow to try and sniff out a bunny.  On the other hand, while the snow is very VERY pretty to look at, I could use a little less of it on the ground.  My legs are toast from walking in the deep snow especially since at the midway point today I had to chase down the beagles that decided a deer was more fun to chase then a bunny.  1/2 mile later I caught up with them.  They really need to stop the deer chasing, but I have never been in a good position to correct them when it first happens.  I guess the upside is that we all got some good exercise.

And so as our woods sits under a blanket of white, Mike and Mick are busy getting ready for their week.  The Ohio Produce Growers and Marketers Association Congress runs tomorrow through Wednesday in Sandusky, Ohio.  Mike and Mick have been asked to speak about their Community Supported Agriculture program.  So today they are busy putting the final touches on their presentation.  They gave me quite a laugh though today.  The outline for the presentation is on our computer and the guys are over at Mick's house working.  I get this phone call asking me to increase the font size of the outline and email it over to Mick's so Mick can read the outline without his glasses.  The request?  Can you increase the font to 30 or 32?  REALLY?  I increased it to 18.  The word was it could have been a little bigger, but it was workable.  Good fodder for teasing Mick about his old eyes though.  As someone who is the brunt of many of the guys' jokes, a gal can use all the ammunition she can get.  *grin*

Winter is also a good time to heat up the kitchen.  After my escapade to the woods with the beagles, I fired up the oven and made a loaf of whole wheat banana nut bread to eat for breakfast this week.  I substituted some of the oil with ground flax seed this time around.  Will see how that turns out.  I also made a loaf of multi-grain sandwich bread.  I so wish I had the time to make homemade bread more often because there is nothing that beats a fresh loaf of homemade bread.  I use the four grain bread recipe on allrecipe.com as a base, but I do cut back on the sugar, leave out the corn meal and add 7 grain cereal.  But it is a great base recipe that you can customize very easily.

Winter Break

Winter break continues on the farm.  While many take their vacations in the summer, we take our vacation in the winter.  This year was a tour through the southeast.  We started in Nashville for a couple days which included a Zac Brown Band concert and a trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame.  Then on to Atlanta (picture) for a big New Year's Eve party with the Zac Brown Band.   It's been a LONG time since we have actually gone out on New Year's Eve.  The 5 hour concert was definitely a fun way to ring in the New Year. Plus we enjoyed Atlanta's sun and 65 degree weather. Then we moved on to North Carolina to visit Mike's sister and brother-in-law and ended up in Marietta, Ohio at Mike's parents' farm.  Most of our travel was leisurely.  We saw some areas of the country we had not seen before.  We chose to travel state routes instead of interstates when time permitted.  We saw the cotton fields of North Carolina and the horse farms of Virginia.  All together we were gone 8 days.

When we left Ohio, the ground was covered by more than a foot of snow.  Based on eyewitness reports, we were told that the warm weather melted almost all the snow last week and you could actually see the grass.  But in true northeast Ohio form, the snow started back up Tuesday night so that by the time we arrived home on Wednesday, the grass was covered.  With more snow coming, I guess we won't be seeing the grass again for awhile.

Farm plans for the coming year continue.  Mike has been making plans for crops that can be stored through the winter.  This would allow him to be able to sell at the winter markets as well as the summer/fall markets.  While in Marietta, Mike and his mom made sure she had enough cell packs to start Mike's plants.  Mike's mom has a greenhouse and starts some of the plants that are grown on our farm.  When we got home, the first box of seeds that Mike had ordered was waiting on the front porch.  The slow days of winter continues. 

The Twelve Days of a Peter Creek Farm Christmas

Since we are 9 days away from Christmas, this is the perfect time to bring you the 12 days of a Peters Creek Farm Christmas.   Yes, perfect timing for someone who is the ultimate Christmas procrastinator.  I have been known to do my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve although I do believe that I may do most of my shopping tomorrow while saving just a little bit for next week.  Heck, Christmas cards will have to wait until next week too as weekend plans are full.  I do have the Christmas tree up and decorated though.  It was actually put up early last week.  Some kind of record for sure.

As the year draws to a close and the snow covers the ground, we surely wish all our family, friends and customers a safe and joyous holiday season.  So without further ado, we bring you the 12 days of a Peters Creek Farm Christmas.

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me......

12 winter coats.........  (just a sampling on the hall tree in the dining room.  Really, we have one whole closet in a spare bedroom full of coats.  How do two people collect so many coats?)

11 antler sheds ..........   (probably more than 11 in this basket.  It's possible to collect a lot of sheds when you live on a farm for 14 years.  To this day, I still think antler sheds are one of the coolest things to find in the woods.)

10 frozen squirrels.........  (yes, we really do have 10 squirrels dressed out and wrapped and in the freezer.  I counted them.  Strange but true facts.)

9 pairs of boots........  (here they are.  You can count them.  Only slightly behind the winter coats.  There are summer hiking boots, winter hiking boots, rubber hunting boots, rubber barn boots.  Ok you get the picture.)

8 barn cats .........   (do you know how hard it is to line up 8 cats?  You get a picture of 2 of them.  And how the heck did we end up with 8 cats anyway?  I remember when we had 2 cats.  10 years ago.  Yes, they are all "fixed", vaccinated and treated for fleas every month.  They are owned by a veterinarian after all.)

7 red tractors .........  (yes 7, if you count the little Wheel Horse lawn tractor that I use to haul chicken feed and the riding lawn mower.  And yes, they are all red.  And yes, all except 3 of them are buried in snow right now.)

6 peach trees ..........  (did you expect more of a tree instead of a twig?  It is winter after all.  And we just planted these trees last year.  Time will tell if all 6 make it through the winter.  A couple were looking kind of iffy in the fall.  Spring will let us know if they live or not.  I love the animal tracks in the picture.  It was pitch black when I took the photo and I had no idea the tracks were there.  Heck, I couldn't even see the tree in the dark.  I don't know what made the tracks.  Maybe cat since the tracks are small and we do have 8 of them running around the place.)

5 kinds of corn ......... (well, this wasn't one of them.  heehee!  Just a free sample of seed that Mike got at the recent fruit and vegetable growers convention in Grand Rapids, MI.  But he really did grow 5 different varieties of sweet corn last year so it fits in the song.)

4 laying hens .......   (sigh.  So weird only having 4 chickens right now, but here they are.  Come spring though, there will be new chicks on the farm.  Stay tuned.)

3 deer heads .........  (again, hard to take a picture of all three because they are on various walls of the living room.  But happy to report that all three are sporting Santa hats this year.  I had to go out and buy one for the newest deer mount.  Ok, just trying to keep things festive in the living room.)

2 beagle dogs ..........  (awwwwwwwwwwww!  Aren't they cute sleeping side by side.  I love these little hounds.)

And a brittany dumb as can be ..................  (fits the song and the dog.  Don't worry, I love Molly too.  Let's just say she is really good for comic relief.  Although a summer picture, I think this really brings out her dumb look the best.)

The End

Snow storms, chili and chocolate raspberry cream cheese pie

I took full advantage of a snowy nowhere-to-go day.  Last week was nothing but go go go.  Got the house decorated for Christmas and cleaned up for company last week.  Went to a live music show in Pittsburgh one night and to my office Christmas party another.  Woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat and a head cold.  So I declared today "do nothing and rest day".  Feeling much better now.  But the wind is howling outside and the snow is flying.  The picture is the view out the front window looking across the street at our mailbox.  Even the mailman must have thought the weather was awful outside as we didn't get any mail today and we ALWAYS get mail.

After I caught up on some much needed sleep, I decided a pot of chili was in order.  I really like white bean chili so I read a few recipes, found one that sounded like a good base recipe and then as usual I changed most of it.  I had 2 cup portions of cooked squirrel meat all ready to go in the freezer, but shredded or cubed chicken would work just as well.

White Bean Squirrel Chili

1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1/2 cup diced green pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 can Cannellini beans drained
1 can black beans drained
1 can corn undrained (I used a pint of frozen homegrown sweet corn with the liquid)
1 can diced tomatoes undrained
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder (could use fresh garlic and saute with the onions and peppers, but I didn't have any)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded cooked squirrel meat

1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Saute the onions and green peppers in the olive oil until crisp tender.  In a crockpot, stir together the beans, corn, tomatoes, spices, meat, chicken broth, onions and green pepper.  Cook on high 3-4 hours or until hot and bubbly.  Add cheese right before serving.  Still until the cheese is melted.  Serve in bowls.  Add a spoonful of sour cream if desired.  I served this with a loaf of beer bread, but of course any bread or biscuits would do.

For dessert I made a chocolate raspberry cream cheese pie.  I had made this recipe before, but I couldn't find it so I just winged it.  Figured I would write it down here so I could find it later when I needed it.

Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie

1 prepared chocolate graham cracker crust
1   8 oz. pack of cream cheese
1/3 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of seedless raspberry preserves
1 cup of melted semi sweet chocolate chips
1   8 oz tub of frozen whipped topping thawed

Beat together cream cheese and sugar into smooth.  Then beat in the raspberry preserves.  Then the melted chocolate chips.  And finally the the whipped topping.  Spread into the prepared graham cracker crust and chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours.  In the summer, I usually garnish this with fresh raspberries.  Today though was all about making a simple dessert.