When I grow up....

What do you want to be when you grow up? Is a common question kids are asked. If you had asked me this question when I was young elementary age I would have told you I was going to be a vet and move to Kentucky to work on my grandparents farm. Ironic huh?!? Then as a young child I was told how much schooling that would take and decided that was too much and wrote the idea off. My first love for the farm came from weeks during the summer spent on my grandparents farm in yes, Kentucky. I do have Kentucky roots even though I lived in Florida from a toddler age til I left for college. I was born in Kentucky; most don't know this.

 

Now the question I get is "How did you end up here from Florida?"

 Sometimes I just answer with I fell in love with a farmer.

 

The idea of living on a farm was not so much of a challenge for me. My grandparents had a farm of about 25 acres which I thought was huge. My cousins and I had free range over the place. We'd walk in the cow field to see Ms. Bossy the cow, go to the pond to watch frogs, or play in the hay in the barn. We'd go visit Ms. Piggy, the biggest potbellied pig ever. She was more like a dog than a pig. We would walk goats on leashes. Also run from roosters that we were convinced would attack us. Climbing the trees in the back yard was a favorite past time even as we got older. We rode horses. Played in creeks. I even walked in the mud barefoot behind the tobacco setter putting in skipped plants. I so badly wanted to ride but wasn't old enough for that job. So many good memories on the farm I couldn't list them all.

 One summer I remember seeing baby chicks hatch. We had the incubator on the kitchen counter and when they hatched we moved them to a bucket on the back porch. I remember my grandfather telling us he had the farm for us grandchildren so we could experience the farm. There the foundation was laid for what my life is now.

 

  Here I am with my grandfather on an International tractor. When I got married the only brand I knew was John Deere but marrying into a IH farm I soon learned.

 

This is me, my brother, and grandfather in the tobacco field.

 

 

Then fast forward 12 or so years I'm in college studying Elementary Education not knowing where I would end up after college, I met a farmer from Kentucky. When this farmer seemed interested in me we had more in common than he thought. My childhood dreams were coming back around. Little did I know I would get to work with baby pigs and be a "vet." Now that I have 2 little ones running around the house I'm not hands on much with the pigs. My main farm jobs now are record keeping for the pigs, running errands and meals to the field during planting and harvest. Keeping up with the Big and Little C's is quite enough. 

 

Here I am 5 years ago with our first pigs born on our farm.

 

 I have learned a lot in almost 6 years of being on the farm. I will admit I didn't know what a combine was when we started dating. We harvested corn in one the night we got engaged and we're making our phone calls to friends. I think LittleC1 has the machines figured out better than I do. I did know food was grown somewhere but never thought too much about the process or the people who grew it. Many have said I have adjusted quite well and I would agree. I now get claustrophobic feeling if I'm in a city or neighborhood too long. I've grown to appreciate my wide open spaces. As I tell people I have a phone, internet and most amenities of city living; country living isn't old fashioned anymore. Now I'm living the dream of a farmer's wife and a mom of little boys who think they are farmers too.

 

I'm still learning about this farming thing. As I learn I'm going to share with you. Planting season will be starting in a month which is very busy but I hope to be able to update and share pictures of day to day activities. Today Big C has taken a semi trailer load of soybeans to be cleaned so we can plant them soon.

Wordless Wednesday

Coloring on a rainy day.

Painted toes, Pretty flowers, Playtime, and Planting

          We are ready to welcome spring. Growing up in Florida I didn't experience 4 seasons; we had hot and cool. In my 6th winter up here in Kentucky I have come to welcome temps. above 40. This week talking to my mom, who's still in FL, she was saying it was cold there at 40 degrees and I said oh well it's a warm 40 here. I've come to enjoy the seasons and changes in the year. Winter is by far my least favorite and summer my favorite. I will complain about cold but not hot; not even close to 100 degrees. I've enjoyed the fall colors and spring blooms. In Florida it's green all year; I didn't get in see fall colors until moving to college in TN. We wore a jacket at 50 degrees. It's all in what you are accustomed too. The first summer up here I didn't sweat. I didn't know that was possible. I sweat now and I actually look forward to sweating outside; I know strange.

 

Somethings I look forward to as the spring is coming is painting my toes in preparation for wearing flip flops. Today was the day for that and it just makes me feel warmer. They were painted year round in Florida.

 

I've also come to look forward to seeing the first "March Flowers." They are daffodils that bloom in March. It's always a great sign that spring will come. I had never heard of March flowers before moving up here. This March they are welcomed more than before. I found this one today.

 

 

I also look forward to being outside not bundled up but in shorts and maybe even barefoot. As a mom of boys we are outside as much as possible. Since the time change we were able to play outside between supper and bedtime. We enjoyed doing this alot last summer. It was still chilly tonight but they had a blast. I look forward to spending many hours outside this summer. Little C1 has already asked when we can get the pool out and put the swings back out. The time will come soon.

 

 

Yesterday was a warm day too. Big C came to see if Little C1 wanted to work on the planter to get ready for Spring planting. Little C2 felt left out and started to cry and walk to the truck too. So he got to go on his first working trip with Daddy. All the boys were quite excited. Little C1 kept saying he might get dirty. I let them stay about an hour. They both were dirty; there was plenty of mud from the melting snow. Their shoes were removed and Little C2's pants before getting in the car to go home.

When we got home I put all their clothes in the wash and this morning I was scrubbing Little C2's boots with an old toothbrush to get all the mud off before church. As they get bigger I know the messes will get bigger but they had fun. 

 

As a farmer's wife I've come to look forward to planting time and visiting the fields with the boys. This time will come soon too. I know everyone is hoping this brutal winter is over soon; me included. Winter can't last forever.

 



 





Wordless Wednesday

Looking out our window; ready for spring activity out there.

 

Yummy Chops

    Living on a hog farm it's assumed we eat a lot of pork; which is true. I'm always searching for good recipes and relatively easy fast recipes. I'll share one today that isn't my fastest recipe but it's yummy and moist. This is a family favorite. I had some time today since we were snowed in all day today thanks to one more winter storm (in March.) This recipe came from food.com by way of pinterest.

Awesome Baked Pork Chops

(They are awesome but it's not very descriptive of how they are made)

 

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees

 (This recipe will coat 6 chops.)

2. Season chops with seasoning salt and garlic powder

3. Dredge in 1/4 cup all purpose flour

4. Dip in 2 eggs; beaten

5. Coat liberally with 2 cups Italian bread crumbs



 

 

6. Heat oil in skillet; enough to cover bottom

7. Fry about 5 minutes until browned on each side

 

Side note: I LOVE my cast iron skillet.

 

8. Transfer to 9x13 dish and cover with foil; cook for 1 hour

9. While baking; mix 3/4 cup milk with can of Cream of Mushroom soup

10. When done baking an hour pour soup mix on top and cover again

11. Bake 30 more minutes.

 

Dinner is served! Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

4-6 pork chops

1 t garlic powder

1 t seasoning salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups Italian bread crumbs

oil

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup milk

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Reflections on country living

  
          Over 5 years ago when I moved to the country I had quite a few adjustments to make. Our house was surrounded by corn on all four sides and it was very dark at night. I never realized how bright a neighborhood is at night. We put a light in the yard which helped with the dark winters. Also meal time can vary greatly. Lunch actually dinner as it's called in the country is anywhere from 12-3 and dinner or supper in country is anywhere from 5-12. The meal times depend on weather or length of daylight for field work. I also learned Saturday was just another day on the farm; work still had to be done. We did slow down and rest more on Sunday but pigs still had to be fed; some work doesn't stop. When people asked how I was adjusting I said just fine 'cause I have internet, phone, and running water; which was true I did just fine. I also learned about farming quickly. The first 2 years without children I did a good bit out with Big C. I also learned my way around country roads that are hardly wide enough for 2 cars to pass. I learned to adjust quickly.
             During harvest and planting seasons I would find Big C during meal times; sometimes 3 meals out in the tractor or combine. I also learned about baby pigs because I would check on them while Big C was in the field. I learned to hitch a trailer to the truck all by myself. I still can't back one very well or quickly. ha! I remember one night Big C needed just a little bit more corn to finish a field and I was already in bed. I took him another bag in my robe to the field so he could finish. We've also had changes in equipment since I've been on the farm. When we got married the planter we used had individual boxes for each row to be planted. When it was time to fill up the planter anyone who was available was in the field to dump bags of seed in the boxes. Recently we upgraded to a planter that had two big containers for the seed and the seed is delivered to each row. This upgrade has made filling up so much quicker and one person can do it. I also was unaware of all the technology in the farming equipment. There are GPS monitors to show the field and what has been planted, monitors to show about the seeds being planted, and many more I don't understand. Farming is always changing and progressing to keep up with the best. 
       My involvement has changed since the Little C's have come along. The boys and I still deliver meals to the field and ride in the tractors anytime we can. I'm not much help in the actual farming anymore just on the support end. I did learn early on farmers are very hardworking people. Big C puts in crazy hours during busy seasons and talking with other farm wives he's not the only farmer living on lack of sleep. It's truly a profession you have to love.

We are getting Spring Fever. On Monday our new soybean planter was delivered. All the boys were excited to see it.