#11 Pinto The BlogDog - I Was Bad

     HOWDY FOLKS!  Pinto the BlogDog here.  How're ya doin' on this pretty-not-a-cloud-in-the-sky day?  I'm just great, better'n yesterday, lemme tell ya.

Our rockchuck was like these guys.
They're kinda cute, don'tcha think?

      So, all around the edges of our farm live these little rascals called "rockchucks."  They're like
woodchucks only they're not.  Brodi and I love to chase 'em.  We don't do 'em no harm, they're just somethin' for us to run after.  When we're out on our daily patrols, or on a horseback ride with M'Lady, we run as fast as we can, to look for rockchucks.  The young ones chirp at us, kinda like a squirrel;  it's a game to 'em to tease us, 'cause they know they can outrun us back to their den.  They're sneaky little buggers, they scamper and dance just out of our reach, diving into their opening in the rocks before we can get 'em.

     I've never caught one.  Don't know what I'd do if I did.  I'm not a killer.  I'm a lover.  But, it's still fun to chase after 'em.

     Anyway, yesterday, M'Lady was riding Merrygold and ponying Roxie.  (that's where she rides one horse and leads t'other).  Brodi and I had run way, way ahead of her, to one of our favorite rockchuck-tormenting-places, a big rockpile on the edge of the farm.

     Well!  If there wasn't a huge, portly rockchuck lazing in the sun!  Boy Howdy, did we wake him up!  We had him cornered!  We were barking, feinting, darting in and snapping at him!  He was scrooched back as far as he could go against the rocks, baring his HUGE teeth at us.  We kept at it, scaring him, makin' him pay for all the times the young rockchucks chirped at and teased us.  It was so fun!

     M'Lady was so far behind us, she didn't know what we were doin'.  It took her a bit to figure out that we were harassin' somethin'.  When she did figure it out, she galloped full tilt toward us!  (Now you need to know that M'Lady never gallops.  Merrygold is 27, Roxie is 31, both way, way too old for galloping, so she musta really been serious about gettin' to us quick).  She was yellin' as loud as she could, "PINTO, COME!  BRODI, STOP!"  But we were havin' so much fun we couldn't.

     Finally, finally, finally, after M'Lady practically ran us over, I looked up and heard her, and came away.  Then Brodi didn't see the point of it any longer, neither, and he came away, too.  Boy did that rockchuck make a bee-line, and sorta waddle-ran back to his den.  M'Lady lectured us from astride her horse for another hundred yards.  "How would you like it if two big, snarling beasts scared you half to death?  You're no better than gangsters, no better than school-yard bullies, you BAD BOYS!"

Can't see what the big deal is, sittin' on the chair.  It's comfy!

    So, we went on the rest of our ride, but the joy had gone out of it.  When we got home, I was feelin' sorry for mesef.  So I hopped up on the patio chair, thinkin' that just this once, it would be OK.  For some reason, TheFam doesn't like me to sit on the patio chairs.  They say I get the cushions dirty and hairy.  They're always yelling at me to get off!  But, I thought, just this once....

     Well, I was wrong again.  M'Lady was already mad at me about the rockchuck ordeal, so I guess my sitting on her nice Adirondack chair just pushed her button again.

     So, I slunk away, and curled up in my nest under the big lilac and took a nap.

     Man, it's tough sometimes, stayin' outta trouble.

     But, today is a new day, a fresh start!

     Keep your tail waggin'!

Thought of the Week

Opportunity is missed by most people 

because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. 

 -Thomas Edison

Garbanzo Taco Soup

GARBANZO TACO SOUP

From the Kitchen of Gina Whitman

This is a fast and easy recipe, is crowd pleaser, and a wonderful way to use garbanzos

1 lb hamburger or chicken, browned and crumbled

1 can corn (or about 12-14 oz. frozen)

1 can Mexican spiced tomatoes

1 can sliced olives

1 onion chopped

1 can garbanzos (or about 12-14 oz, cooked)

1 pkg. taco seasoning

Drain liquid off the canned items.  Rinse.  Dump everything into the crockpot and simmer all day.  Serve with sour cream, cilantro and tortilla strips.  Yumm!

Field Trip to the Amish Country

     This past week, my cousin, Cynthia and I met in Philadelphia for a few days.  Cynthia is a true-blue city girl, hailing from Southern California.  But, because she loves me, she reads this blog regularly.  She says she's learned a few things, gives regular feedback and asks questions, which is most gratifying, and is what this blog is all about.

Breathtaking vistas in every direction

     So, before our trip, we were planning the sites we would visit.  I had been thinking early American history, quill pens and cracked bells.  Then Cynthia piped up and said, "I want to see the Amish Country!"

     Wow!  Now you're preaching to the choir, Cuz!  We hopped into our rental car and zipped west on highway 30 toward Strausburg.  Then we cut south from there on little winding roads.

Huge Amish farmstead, neat as a pin.
You can't seem him in the shadows of the silo,
but there is a man ground-driving a pair of draft horses

     If you are going to introduce a city person to the farm, I can't help but think a good choice is a visit to the Amish Country.  Lancaster County is the quintessential farm scene, with far reaching vistas at every turn.  The terrain is rolling, there are copses of deciduous trees here and there.  Little creeks tumble by, and there are bridges, some of them covered, all around.  On and on are dotted picturesque farmsteads, with huge white barns, silos, windmills, gigantic houses, laundry on the line, children playing outside, pretty flowers at the driveway and cows grazing in the pastures.

     And horse poop on the roads.

     Horses working in the fields.

     Horses pulling buggies.

     Everywhere.

     Not a tractor in sight.

     Not an electrical line in sight (at least not to the Amish homesteads).

     It was fantastic.

Driving 4-Abreast.  You don't see that very often.

     Farming here is done with horse and implement.  Smaller fields.  No irrigation - God sends the rain at the right time.  Their yields are abundant, the quality of their crops, excellent.  However, they aren't producing food for the world, only for their families and to sell within their community.  Most Amish farms are 50 to 80 acres each.  As families grow and sons then have families of their own, they will try to acquire more land.  This is difficult though, because there is only so much farmland, and there are many sons who wish to farm.  Nevertheless, farming is an old and strong tradition in Amish country, with two, three and sometimes four generations farming together, and living under one HUGE roof.   

Moving equipment from one field to another.  You see this all the time
in farming country, only usually it's tractors.

Setting out tobacco seedlings

Typically, Amish farmers use manure from their livestock (cows, horses, pigs and poultry) to fertilize their fields.  They spread the manure onto the fields with a manure spreader in the fall and early spring. They will supplement the manure with commercial fertilizers if they feel the soil needs it.  They try not to use pesticides, but instead depend on beneficial insects and crop rotation to battle insects.  This sometimes does not work, and the crop may then be diminished.  The typically don't use herbicides (weed killers), but will if they have an invasive weed which they cannot combat with cultivation.  In short, by their nature, Amish farmers grow their food naturally, but are practical, and will use conventional methods if helpful.

Cultivating tobacco.  This guy was ASLEEP!

     The crops we saw were alfalfa hay, corn (both for cattle feed and humans), tobacco, wheat and oats.  Also, there is a lot of pasture ground here.  They usually graze their livestock as much as possible.

     This time of year, farmers are cultivating their corn and tobacco, cutting, raking and baling hay.  We saw one family setting out young tobacco plants in a field.

Mares and foals. 

    I think if I was Amish, I would raise horses - now that would indeed be heaven for me!  We saw a pasture of grazing draft mares and foals.  (draft horses are the big horses which pull heavy farm equipment, wagons and the like).  This was a horse breeding farm, raising and training draft  animals for the community.  Kind of like our local John Deere manufacturer or dealer.

Buggy leaving the dry goods store

  

     We happened upon a dry goods store.  It had a hitching rail in the parking lot, with two sets of buggies and horses tied up to it.  In the store were kitchenwares,  books, domestic items of all sorts, cleaning supplies, clothing and fabric.  They had a enormous stock of black fabric (which is what every person wears everyday, along with a solid colored dress or shirt).  Their solid fabrics ranged from pastels to jewel tones.  In the back of the store were rack upon rack of ready-made clothing - all in black.  Pants with suspenders for boys and men, pinafores for girls, capes and bonnets for women.  All of these clothing items looked like they had been handmade, and had no zippers or velcro.  This store was for women, and had no farm supplies and the like.    

Farmers' Market with 5 buggies!

    

Buggy horses hanging out in the shade while their masters
are at the farmers' market

      There was a Farmers' Market, too.  This one had 5 buggies parked out front, irresistible!  There were Amish-farmwife-made jams, Whoopie Pies, breads and fresh-from-the-garden strawberries.

     While the Amish may live a "simple" lifestyle, and their farm acreages may not be huge, nor may their yields be the top in the U.S., it sure looked like it was working well.  Every single farm we saw was spotless and beautifully maintained, with fresh paint and lovely trees.

Laundry on line - in nearly every yard.

     But the best part was that Cynthia appreciated it.
    I think maybe we have a new Advocate for Agriculture, Cuz!

Happy Cousins

Note:  Many of the photos in this 
post were submitted by Cynthia.

Hummus

HUMMUS

from the kitchen of Robin W.L.

This is a recipe that I devised and tweaked, my family devours it

Hummus is a smart snack in the afternoon when you're dying of starvation, 

the protein in it will hold you till dinner

This recipe doesn't have olive oil in it.  The tahini provides the fat.

12 oz. garbanzos, rinsed

1/4 to 1/2 Cup Tahini  (sesame seed paste, try to find "creamy")

1/4 Cup plain non-fat yogurt (go for Greek style, if you can, it's creamier)

Juice of 1 lemon

2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp. salt

Put everything into the food processor or good blender and let 'er run.  It takes awhile to make it smooth.  If the garbanzos aren't cooked to super-soft, sometimes the hummus doesn't turn out completely smooth, but that doesn't really matter.  When it is all blended, if you think it's still a little thick, add a bit more yogurt or lemon.  Add garlic or salt to taste.

To serve prettily, spread the hummus out in a  6-7" shallow serving dish.  Make a swale or low spot about 1/2" around the inside of the perimeter if you like.  Sprinkle chopped parsley, toasted sesame seeds or roasted red pepper,  or drizzle extra-virgin olive oil in the swale.  Serve as a dip with pita, crackers, or vegetables.  

This hummus will store in a sealed container in the fridge for at least a week.

VaRiAtioNS:

Add to the food processor:  

     1 - 4 oz. jar roasted red pepper or pimentos

        or

     1 - small can sliced black olives and 1 small can shitake mushrooms

               (go easy on the lemon if using this variation)

         or

     1 - small can sliced black olives and replace the salt with truffle salt.  

               (ditto the lemon with this one, too)

ENJOY AND MAKE OFTEN!  EAT MORE GARBANZOS!

How To Soften Dry Beans

    So, you have acquired some dried beans.  These may be garbanzo, pinto, red, kidney, white, lima or any other variety.  The method to prepare them so you can use them is basically the same.

1.  Put the beans into a large mixing bowl.  Gently fill the bowl with water, running under the tap, and let the bowl slowly overflow.  As the water runs off, the chaff, leaves and dirt will wash off.  (If you have purchased beans from the store, they won't be very dirty, just perhaps slightly dusty).  Stir the beans and water gently with your hand, to help this along.  When the water runs clear (it takes a few minutes), pour the beans into a collander, pick out any stray debris, and rinse thoroughly.

2.  Now you are ready to cook the beans.  Put your beans into your crockpot.  Then add a 3:1 water to bean ratio.  Turn the crockpot on "high" for 2 hours, then to "low" for the rest of the day or over night.

     Or, if you prefer to use a stockpot, use the same 3:1 water to bean ratio.  Bring the water to boil, then turn down the heat, and simmer for 1.25 to 1.75 hours.  

     Test the beans.  They should be plump and very soft.  You be the judge, after biting into one, do they have the right texture?  Keep cooking them until they are nice and soft.

3.  Drain the beans in a colander.   Rinse completely.  Now your beans are ready to prepare as your recipe directs.

4.  A good way to save the cooked beans is: divide them into 12 oz. batches (1-1/2 Cups).  Put them into ziploc bags and pop them into the freezer for future use.  Then they're ready to go for salads, hummus, refried beans, soups and the like.

EAT MORE BEANS!

Organic or Not?

This is a great video regarding the debate surrounding organic v. conventional agricultural food production.

Jayson Lusk is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University. His website, with blog posts and other information about food economics and the like, can be found here: http://jaysonlusk.com/

Gar-BAN-zo!

Our farmers, as you will soon see, produce a lot of garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas. These tasty, fat, little round beans are super versatile, and chock-full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They may seem a little more exotic than your everyday pinto bean, but believe-you-me, they will become one of your favorites if you give them a try!

Garbonzos in the pod. Cute!

Domesticated garbanzo beans are an ancient crop, being found in caves with other refuse dating back to 6790 BC. They probably originated somewhere in the Middle East (like pretty much everything else...), and were, and continue to be a staple food in that area and Eastern Asia.

The name "garbanzo" possibly stems from the Basques, a sub-autonomous culture in northeastern Spain. Their word for this bean is garbantzu. "Chickpea," on the other hand, stems from the French word for the bean, chiche, and slurred into "chickpea" in English. Neat-o. 

Garbanzo plants

Garbanzo beans are grown all over the world, with India being the largest producer of the crop. They thrive in sub-tropical climates, where they get a little more rain, but certain varieties do well in more temperate areas, such as the United States, Pakistan, and Australia. Garbanzo beans grown the US come mostly from California, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Idaho is the largest producer of small Desi beans, and Washington leads in the production of the larger Kabuli beans.

Interesting fact -The US actually imports garbanzos because we don't grow enough to meet our demand and the demand of countries who also buy from our farmers! Most of our beans come from Mexico and Canada (Canada??). US garbanzos are eaten by us, and also sent to Spain, Turkey, and India.

Why eat anything else??

There are two main types of garbanzo beans cultivated today. Desi-type beans are smaller, with rougher coats, and vary in color, from light tan to black. Kabuli-type beans are larger, rounder, and have light, smooth coats. You will most likely find Kabuli-type beans in cans at the grocery store.  Both types of beans carry the same nutritional power punch, and add great texture and taste to pretty much any dish.

Like I've said already, garbanzo beans are super versatile. They can be roasted, ground, mashed, blended, baked; thrown into salads, soups, pastas, rice, and eggs, or used to pump up meat dishes, since they have a good, hearty texture and taste.  They are even used in desserts! Their flavor is mild, and doesn't overpower the rest of the dish, while their high protein and fiber content fills you right up! What are you making for dinner tonight? Grab a can of garbanzo beans and throw them right in! Seriously! Do it!

Canned garbanzo beans make life easy, and I usually have a can or two on my shelf for those (very, very, very, very rare) days when I don't plan ahead. Dry garbanzo beans can be bought in the dry bean or bulk aisles, and are easy to prepare. Like other dry beans, soaking garbanzos in cold water overnight will make cooking faster, although they will still need to be cooked for at least an hour or two in order to be edible.  

Kabuli-type garbanzos

 If you've never used garbanzo beans in your cooking before, take a chance on these tasty little beans. You'll be supporting our hardworking farmers and be adding an interesting, nutritional new food to your menu! We love garbanzo beans, including TheWeeLaddie, who will eat them in soups, sides, and even curried!

What are your favorite ways to prepare garbanzo beans? 

Information for this article was taken from the following websites:
http://www.agmrc.org/commodities__products/vegetables/chickpea-profile/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickpea

Thought of the Week

Make hay when the sun shines!

Milestone Hit Today

     Today, kissmytractor.blogspot.com hit 5,000 views!  We began the blog on January 24, 2013;  this means that over 1,000 of you have been reading and following kissmytractor each month.  The monthly readership has been creeping higher each month, and we hope it will continue to grow as the days and months go on.

     We will continue to try to bring interesting, relevant and educational articles about farming and agriculture to you each week.

     FIVE THOUSAND THANKS for reading kissmytractor!


     -Robin and Alise

Spring Updates from Farmer Guy Therrien + Tiling

Hello Everyone!

You know we just love getting updates from our farmer friends about what's happening on their farms right now.  Here's the lastest news from Farmer Guy Therrien, who was just profiled last week.

"Hello,

The spring planting has been done, and we are spraying the spring wheat for weeds.  We have adequate moisture right now, but will need some timely rains.

The hot spell we just had for a week did not help.  The market is, as always, tough.  I am not very confident right now, but the way things work these days, that can change quickly.  More wheat world-wide, less U.S. wheat, speculators listening to every rumor; I can only guess where the market will go!

The only projects other than the usual spring crop work is to unplug two more tiles.

Take care - Guy"

You can see the emerging themes from the farmer updates we've had so far - water shortages, wacky weather, and violatile markets.  It's tough being a farmer with so many very important factors out of your control.

I bet you all are wondering what tiling is, right?

A drain outlet in a field

Tiles are actually drains that are put into fields to
help remove water from the subsoil.  Certain parts of a field might be wetter than others, and hold too much water.  If there is too much water in the subsoil, the plant's roots can't develop well, and won't produce a good crop.  For example, in an area where there's a swale, water would naturally drain into that swale and cause a bog.  The farmer can't get into that area with his tractor, which makes the area unfarmable and less productive.  A tiling machine is similar to a trencher; it digs a trench, then lays in 4-6" pvc pipe with perforations on the top.  The excess water in the wet spot naturally drains to this perforated pipe, and allows it to be drained off, into a waterway.  Usually the boggy or wet area dries enough so that it is easier for the farmer to farm and produces healthier plants.

Here's a good article from wikipedia on tile drainage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tile_drainage

All's FAIR!

Ahh, the fair! One of the highlights of the summer, amiright?! The fun carnival rides, the animals, the booths, the shows, the FAIR FOOD! What more could you ask for on a hot summer night? Nothing, that's what!

http://idaho.for91days.com/2012/08/

While most fair attendees are there for the fun, the purpose of the fair is far greater than funnel cakes and fried Twinkies.  Fairs began long, long, loooonnnngggg ago as temporary markets for merchants to come together to sell exotic goods from foreign countries.  They eventually took on a religious tone when the
church would host fairs in conjunct
ion with feast days.

Fried twinkie




The first fair in the Americas took place in 1765 in Windsor, Novia Scotia, and is still taking place today! Agricultural fairs, like the ones that take place around the United States today, were created by Elkanah Watson, from the New England area, by organizing the Berkshire Agricultural Society and creating an event (known then as a Cattle Show) in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in September 1811. It was more than just an exhibit of animals – it was a competition, with prize money ($70) paid for the best exhibits of oxen, cattle, swine and sheep.

By 1819 most counties in the Northeast had organized their own agricultural societies and the movement was spreading into the other states. By the end of the 1800's, almost every state and county was hosting one or more agricultural fairs or exhibitions.

County fairs are held by almost every county in the U.S.A. County fairs are typically smaller and much more agriculturally-focused, with the emphasis on the livestock and 4-H and FFA programs. Most participants must live within the boundaries of that county in order to enter livestock or other items. Additionally, the livestock at county fairs are typically all from 4-H or FFA participants, not from professional or amateur breeders. Regional and state fairs bring together people from across that region or area, and are huge, with lots of great things to see and do! They offer a bigger range of contests, exhibits, shows, and also hold livestock contests for participants not in     4-H or FFA ("open" classes).  The basic elements of those agricultural society events of the early 1800s are at the heart of the over 3,200 agricultural fairs in North America today. Competition for the best agricultural and domestic products of the county or state are held annually at each fair.

Fairs also have an educational purpose, with exhibits, shows, demonstrations and much more.
Special emphasis is placed on educational activities such as 4-H, FFA and similar youth

4-Hers showing their pigs

development programs. They also retain their very origional merchant purpose with booths selling an array of items, food stands, carnival rides, and livestock auctions. Mix all this together and you get an awesome-good time!

Fairs are a great way to learn about farming and agriculture in your state, and to see the wide range of programs and products that are in place to promote agriculture. Fair season is upon us, so use the search tool below to find fairs in your area! You'll have a super-fun time being part of the fair crowd, and if you check out all the exhibits and pavilions, you'll learn some really interesting things to boot!

So, look around your community, and try to find out when is your county or regional fair.  Check it out, go see the pigs and the chickens, the lambs and the kids.  Check out the flower arranging and photo competitions.  Observe and admire the farmers' crop contests - perfect hay bales, beautiful potatoes, giant pumpkins.  Join in a cow milking contest.  See the tractor pull competition and the horse show.  Eat a corn dog with some fresh squeezed lemonaide, and enjoy the American tradition of the country fair!

What do you look forward to at the fair each year?  Please share in the comments!
We'd like to hear about it!

To find a fair in your area, use this handy-dandy search tool: http://www.fairseverywhere.com/


Information for this article was taken from the website of the Internatioal Association of Fairs and Expositions: http://www.fairsandexpos.com/aboutiafe/history/

Thanks to Idaho Ag in the Classroom!

     Like many professionals, teachers are required to take a certain number of continuing education classes during a given time period. One of the classes that is offered to Idaho teachers is Idaho Ag in the Classroom, which focuses on ways to incorporate agriculture and farming themes into the school curriculum.

     Rick Waitley, the Idaho Ag in the Classroom director extraordinnaire, invited my mom and me to give presentations to two groups of teachers taking this course. We were pleased to be asked to present our blog, and finished the second presentation this morning. It was a great opportunity for us to make a connection with a new group of individuals, and we were especially excited that these presentations were for educators. The purpose of our blog is to educate non-farmers about farming and agriculture, so who better to show it to than interested teachers!

     Mom gave the presentation last week, and I spoke at today's session. I was able to talk about the purpose of our blog, our mission and goals, and to go through the blog and show them the resources that were there. For only being in existence for a few months, we sure have written a lot of posts.

     We also took comments and questions about our blog, and asked for input on how to make it more useful to teachers in the classroom. We have a bunch of great ideas that we'll hopefully begin implementing soon. We want to make this blog as user-friendly as possible, so that not only will people enjoy the things we post, but actually learn from it as well.

     So, a huge thank you to Rick Waitley and Idaho Ag in the Classroom for the invitation to speak at these two seminars.

     If any of you have any suggestions or ideas that would help us improve our blog, PLEASE let us know. We also want to hear from you if you have an issue you hear about in the news that you would like us to research, a question you need answered, or anything else.

Here's a link to Idaho's Ag in the Classroom page:

https://www.agclassroom.org/state/summaries/idaho.cfm

Thought of the Week

...there is a new trend with people wanting to know where their food comes from, so they are becoming more interested in agriculture.  Consumers are asking questions about their food.  They want it local.  They want to know where it was grown.  They want it natural, and they want it safe.  

                   -Marci Green, Farmer, Fairfield, Washington

Farmer Profile - Guy Therrien

  This month, we are very pleased to introduce you to Farmer Guy Therrien of the Palouse Country, located in Eastern Washington state.  He and his wife, Jeanne, (a fourth generation farmer), work with her father, Allan Hood.

The Therrien Family,
back row:  Guy, Tanner, A.J. & Josh,
front row:  Jeanne & Jillian

     My name is Guy Therrien.  My wife, Jeanne and I have three boys.  Josh is an athletic trainer for Oregon State University.  He is married to Jillian.  Our second son, A.J. is a senior at Washington State University, studying Construction Management.  Our youngest son, Tanner, is a junior at Pullman High School, and a recent state champion in basketball.

     We live and work in the Pullman, Washington area.  I married into my wife's family's farming business 23 years ago.  I work with her and her father, Allan Hood.

The vineyard along the Snake River

   
     When we aren't working, we enjoy fishing, hunting, hiking, watching our kids play sports, and watching WSU (Washington State University) Cougars sports.

     We have a hobby vineyard in the Snake River Canyons.  Our vineyard has eight - 200' rows.  Four of the rows are Cabernet Sauvignon and four rows are Shiraz grapes.  The vines are about 9 years old.  We trade the grapes for wine from Wawawai Canyon Winery.  It's a pretty good deal!



   

Cabernet grapes

     On our dryland farm, we grow red and white wheat, barley, peas and garbanzo beans.  We try to farm in a three year rotation with these crops.  Winter wheat is followed by a spring grain (wheat or barley) the second year,  and then a pulse crop (dry green peas or garbanzo beans) the third year.  This helps in our weed and disease management.

     Since I started 23 years ago, so much has changed.  The obvious changes are in the machinery we use.  It's larger, faster, and so much more technologically advanced now.  Our tractors have navigation, speed control, auto steering, four wheel drive, etc.  This adds a little more to the production costs.

     Less obvious changes have happened in our farming practices.  We no longer plow or disk the soil.  We have put grass strips in highly erodible places, and we till the ground very few times.  These practices have virtually eliminated erosion.

Oops!

     I feel that our biggest challenges are the same as they have always been.  We have to sell our crops for more than we have invested in them.  We receive a higher price for our crops these days than 10 or 20 years ago, but our costs have increased also.

     The most satisfying rewards happen at the end of harvest.  All the difficult decisions, spending, sweating and sleepless nights have produced a finished product that helps feed the world, and hopefully, we have earned a little profit.

Lucky the Llama

     We are members of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers and the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Association.

Hamburger-Vegetable-Lentil-Pea-Garbanzo Soup!

HAMBURGER-VEGETABLE-LENTIL-PEA-GARBANZO SOUP

From the Kitchen of Jeanne Therrien

1 lb. hamburger, brown until crumbly

5-1/2 Cups tomato juice

4 Cups water, bring to boil

Add:

   1 Cup dry lentils

   1 Cup dry peas

   1 Cup dry garbanzo beans

   1 Cup celery, chopped

   1/2 Cup onion, chopped

   1 tsp. salt

   1/2 tsp. pepper

   1 bay leaf

Combine hamburger, tomato juice and boiling water.  Then add all other ingredients.  Bring to boil.  Then, simmer until lentils, peas and garbanzo beans are soft.  

#10 - Pinto the BlogDog - Doin's on Sweet Hills Farm

That's me, waitin' for some action.

   

   
      HOWDY FOLKS!  Pinto the BlogDog here.  How're ya all doin'?  It couldn't be prettier here today.  The sun is shinin', it's about 88* outside, and there is not a cloud in the sky.  This is crop growin' weather!  It was rainy for a coupla weeks, which was good - the land was desperate for rain.  The farmers were very happy for the rain to come.  But now, the growin' plants need warmth and sunshine!

     Now, ya know, on a farm, spring and summer are busy times.  In the spring, the farmer has to prepare the soil for planting, then he plants the little seeds, and then he fertilizes 'em.  But, now that the crops are planted and fertilized, the farmers are cultivating and irrigating the little plants.  They irrigate, irrigate, irrigate, the crops grow, grow grow, and then comes harvest.  In the farm-shops they're fixing the tractors, harvesters and cultivators - greasin' and getting' 'em all tuned up.  But here in my yard?  It's Q-U-I-E-T.

The wheat has grown a lot in the last coupla weeks,
what with the rain and  sunshine.
That white bar at the bottom is the irrigation pipe.

     I mean, have you ever watched crops grow?  Ya can't hardly see nothin' happ'nin'!  But the farmer,  he checks his crops every single day.  He watches over 'em.  He coddles 'em.  He touches their leaves and stems, he peeks at 'em, digs in the soil and rolls it around in his hand to check for moisture.  He looks up at the sky, he stares at the wind.  All day.  Every day.  All summer long.

Wheat being irrigated.  See the heads that have formed on the top of
each plant?  That's where the little wheat kernels are growing,
getting heavy and plump, and full of nutrition.

     I mean, really?  But, M'Lady reminds me that the farmers' crops are important to him, they are his lifeblood, they are his everything!  He plans all year for them, he loves his crops, he grows 'em and harvests 'em, and then sells 'em to feed you and me.  He does all this 'cause he loves to farm, he loves the land he cares for, and he feeds and cares for his family, too.

Sugarbeets are comin' right along.

     So this is what's goin' on:

     The wheat is growin'.

     The sugar beets are growin'.

     The pasture grass is gettin' gosh-durned tall.

     The hired man comes every day to irrigate the crops.

     The farmer comes every day and s-t-a-r-e-s at the crops.

     The sugar beets are being cultivated.

     The horses are grazing.  That's all they do.  Heads down, eat, eat, eat.

     That's it.

     Huh.

Merrygold in her grazing muzzle and flymask.

     One thing interesting is that Merrygold has to wear a grazing muzzle, 'cause she gets like a porky-piggy-tanker if she doesn't have one on.  The muzzle has a little hole in the bottom, see, 'bout the size of a half-dollar.  She can reach about 20% the amount of grass she would eat without the muzzle.  This way she gets to be out in the pasture with Roxie, otherwise she would have to stay in the corral.  She's happy, eats all day long, and she stays svelt like YoursTruly!  M'Lady tells Merrygold that she wishes someone loved her enough to put a grazing muzzle on her!  Hahaha!

     Oh, and the horses both wear flymasks.  That's what's on Merrygold's eyes.  It keeps the flies out of her face, the sun, dust and wind, too.  Pretty helpful.

     Well, gotta go.  It's dinner time!  Y-A-Y!!!  Dinner time!  Dinner time!  Dinner time!  The best time of the day!  (other than breakfast-time).  Catchya later!

     Keep your tail waggin'!

Thought of the Week

Picture courtesy of fineartamerica.com

The life of a farmer is a great life to live.  Out on the farm, scratching in the dirt, inhaling the distinctive scent of the growing crops, and appreciating the fresh smell after a spring rain.  Life on a farm is a blessing like no other. 

                                                                         -JD Rosman, Washington Wheat Ambassador

Notes from Pasco & The Columbia Basin, Washington

     Last week, I visited the farms and farmers in Pasco, Washington.  Pasco is located in south-central Washington state, at the southern end of the great Columbia Basin.  It is bordered to the west by the mighty Columbia River, which is the main transport for crops and commodities to the west coast.  They are barged downriver to Portland, Oregon, where they are then shipped to points all over the world, especially the Pacific Rim.

The pivot of a center pivot irrigation system or "circle" for short
Circles have revolutionized irrigation for farmers

The Columbia Basin is irrigated by the gigantic Columbia Basin Project (CBP) irrigation network which originates in northeastern Washington.  It is the largest reclamation project in the United States, supplying water to over 671,000 acres of farmland.  The water originates on the upper Columbia River, and is held in reservoir by the Grand Coulee Dam.  This dam project was part of President Roosevelt's new deal.  Construction on the dam began in 1933 and was finished in 1942.  The lakes resulting from the dam are Banks Lake and Lake Roosevelt.

     The irrigation water is held in reservoirs throughout the basin, sometimes called "potholes", and is then delivered to the farm fields by way of 331 main canals, 1,339 miles of lateral canals, 3,500 miles of drains and wasteways.  Wow!

A lateral canal delivering water to a farm

        Because this is a relatively new and modern irrigation system, the land has been divided in larger, more uniform-shaped fields, ranging in size from 50 to 150 acres each, as compared with older systems which have smaller and often irregularly shaped fields.  The climate of south central Washington is arid; natural rainfall here is 7" per year.  The Columbia Basin Project turned desert into some of the most productive farmland in the country.

A field of beautiful timothy hay.
This will be cut two times this year, and baled as hay for horses
Look at that pretty sky!

    Columbia Basin farms grow an endless variety of crops.  Alfalfa and timothy hay, potatoes, dry beans, onions, garlic, buckwheat, sweet corn, fresh peas and beans.  Grapes for wine and the table, as well as all number of other fruits including cherries, pears, apples, peaches, nectarines, walnuts - all are grown on a commercial scale.

Potatoes for you and for me!  They're coming along nicely.

Our Pasco farmers are busy this time of year.  All of their crops have been planted, and have emerged from the ground. The first cutting of alfalfa hay is underway, and unfortunately, much of it was rained on.  Here are some photos for you to enjoy.

Haylige.  Like silage, only hay.  This was harvested in 2012,
then set all winter in the plastic wrap, which fermented it.
The milk cows love it, and it provides super-nutrition for them too.

John Deere tractors all lined up, ready for work

The tractors pull these hay-balers, to bale alfalfa and timothy hay