Slow Down, Sheep at Work

Behold the best little lawn mowers. They trim easily in the hard to mow parts on the farm, as well as the rest of the farm.I had to take the time to enjoy these little creatures. Just an end of summer day moment to stop and enjoy before it goes away.Taking care of animals is time consuming; sometimes the time consuming part is to just stop and enjoy watching them.                                                   We have been enjoying our farm produce.  I am growing pool ball zucchini and found this recipe that is good for the pool balls, but would also work for regular zucchini.

             Spinach Stuffed Zucchini 5*

5 small zucchini pool balls, stem ends cut off

2 Tbs olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 Tbs butter

1/2  cup onion, diced

1 cup chicken flavored stuffing mix

1 pkg fresh baby spinach microwaved, drained

     -- and chopped OR (10-ounce) package

     -- frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry)

1/2 cup sour cream

1  cup shredded sharp Cheddar or Jarlsburg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Cut squash in half. Parboil squash in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Scoop out pulp, keeping shells intact; reserve pulp.

 3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until transparent. To the skillet, add stuffing mix, spinach, sour cream, cheese and squash pulp. Mix together and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 3 minutes. Spoon mixture evenly into squash shells. Place on baking sheet, and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe Source: Paula Deen (Quick and Easy 2008)

Once upon a pond . . .

Maybe my journey to become a hobby farmer began with a cool, April day while I stood looking at our small, but nicely-sized pond all surrounded with weeds and prickly bushes.  I remember having what I have come to call my "Hey, wait a minute," moment.  It was either accept the neglected pond never cared for or "Hey, wait a minute; I can do something positive about this." 

So for two months I chose a clump of prickly bushes and attacked.  Slowly, but surely, I liberated the pond.  From there the plans grew.  I dropped rocks in the area where the spring entered the pond to rid that area of mud.  Each year brought a new project - creating a rock dock to watch the water and anything that might move in my fishless pond, planting water lilies and marginal pond plants, to perennial flowers around the edge.

Somewhere in the process I came across a magazine called Hobby Farm Home.  Within those pages I found wonderful possibilities for our small corner of country.  I started with babydoll sheep.  Hey, wait a minute - don't we need sheep to help mow our lawn and fertilize, too?  If it was good enough for Thomas Jefferson, well . . . count me in! In Hobby Farm Home I found information about Brown Chinese Geese - great weeder birds.  Hey, wait a minute - I have weeds, I have a pond, that will work!  We now have our lawn mowers and weeders.  It seems there were also some Buckeye chickens featured in Hobby Farm Home.  Hey, wait a minute I have a farm, and horses, and sheep, and geese - why not chickens? We could use some eggs.  The rest is history. 

I love the farm and I am fascinated by the interaction of all the animals.  Who knew that one could retire from teaching only to discover that in your heart you really were meant to be a hobby farmer?