Welcome to My World

A Prayer of Faith

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

My dad had been diagnosed with cancer and his prognosis did not look hopeful. They had given him only months to maybe a year at the most.

One evening the dreaded phone call came, my dad was in the hospital and not doing well. In fact there was not any hope for him to live.

I quickly made arrangements to fly home to Phoenix. Some friends of the family greeted me soberly at the airport. On our drive to the hospital they tried to soften what I was about to see. When I entered the room of the hospital my dad was blown up twice his size. His gown had been cut to give his bloated body more room to expand. His skin was oozing liquid as a tumor was wrapped around the main aorta of his heart.

There are no words for the emotion that swept throughout my heart and soul. I unexpectedly dropped to my knees and began to pray out loud.
The doctors later came in and informed us that he would not make it through the weekend.

While sitting next to his side, I picked up a Bible and it opened to James, chapter 5verses 14-15 "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him." (ASV Bible)

My extended family was Catholic but it did not matter to me who anointed him with oil but that he was anointed. My heart of hearts reached out in obedience but knew that this anointing would not guarantee his survival. The one thing I did know for certain was God's words were loud and clear, that it should be done.

I spoke with my mother and she agreed and called a priest. We stood and prayed and watched his body slowly return to his normal size.

On Monday morning a Jewish doctor was doing his rounds and peeked in to see us all sitting in my father's room. We were helping my dad eat and regain his strength. I will never forget that doctor as he stood in the door and shook his head and repeated, "Miracle, miracle!" and silently vanished into the hospital hallway.

I was able to speak with my dad about the importance of excepting Christ as his personal savior. We prayed together and I later witnessed him telling others how the room lit up when he prayed.

I often reflect on the reason that God granted this miracle. My reason was because I did not want to see my dad leave but I believe God's reason was he wanted to bring another safely home.

My dad passed away a year later. I am comforted to know that I will see him again in eternity. What a grand reunion it will be!

The Last Flight

2012-01-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

We looked across the darkened horizon as the bright lights approached. The twin engine plane was moving at such a low altitude that we stopped and watched with anticipation. As it passed over head, we could only hear one of the engines and the other was struggling as it resonated with a low grumbling sound. The pilot looked to be approaching a near by private airport within the city limits. His plane faded into the distance and we filed the event into the back of our minds. Without further thought, we returned to the routine of our evening farm chores. It was not until later that night that we heard that the plane had gone down and pilot had been killed. The event played on fast forward through my mind. I wondered, had he cried out to G-d for His infinite help? Did he have the assurance of his eternal destination? We all seem to be focused on the immediate, never anticipating that within a moment, it could be our last flight.

James 4
14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
King James Version

Mathew 7
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (KJV)

The Bowl and the Saucer

2011-12-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

An old Swedish custom is to leave a cup or plate from the last visitor untouched. The meaning behind this little and often times unknown custom is to never sweep anyone from your home. The plate or cup is washed and neatly put away as a new guest arrives.
Our little Border Collie Cassie was put to sleep yesterday. The sadness has left us feeling empty while the memories fill a treasure chest of pleasant memories
The last cup and bowl that she ate and drank from are washed but remain untouched on our kitchen counter. A gentle reminder that as our Lord takes away, He provides something new.

2 Corinthains 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;

Thanksgiving

2011-10-22T03:54:00.000-07:00

November fifth is butchering day at Rise 'N' Shine Farm. I will miss my feathered friends. They follow me around the farm like dogs. Although, I believe Rufus (A White Holland) and his girlfriend will stay and reside as part of the farms ambiance. Rufus won his way into my heart at two days old when he would drop his wings, strut and turn in a circle. His daily dignified dance has captured my attention and won a place in my heart. He has never been forceful with his demeanor like some of the other males, but proudly displays his presence with a dignified honor.
It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is around the corner. After raising turkeys, we truly know the depth of the meaning of Thanksgiving. I have not been sheltered from the process of life and understand it's deeper significance. I often times correlate the nurturing, care, love and sacrifice that goes into raising an animal with the life of our Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord for blessing me with joy and understanding and for the gifts that you have richly bestowed upon me. Thank you for your sacrifice and for loving me enough to save me and bless me with a heavenly home to spend with you in eternity. I am truly thankful.

John 3:16 (KJV)
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:9 (KJV)
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

The Finer Things in Life

2011-10-19T06:24:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful day of gathering together with some ladies and one gent for a workshop on sprouting grain and making homemade bread, biscuits, sweet rolls and pizza. We topped it off with learning how to make homemade butter from the inspiration of my Great Grandmother Emma's prize winning homemade butter.
As the conversation spun it's web into homemade goodness and the shift of healthy living alternatives, we were all in agreement that the small farm could be kept sustainable for the future health of our rural and suburban families. The reality that big farms have had to use pesticides and the worlds alternatives in competing to produce more to stay in existence. The trend to purchase grass fed meat and organic veggies has put the small farm back on the map with the possibilities of squeezing it's way back into a sustainable crevice.
We still have a way to go for those who are seeking to purchase our small farm products. We are still competing with the Walmart mind set of more bang for our buck with out the considerations that the small farmer and his or her passion does not pay for the increase in organic feed. A quick example would be a regular bag of turkey feed would cost $11.95 and an bag of no GMO turkey feed is $18.00. When finishing twenty-six Thanksgiving birds the last two months of their lives, we are going through a fifty pound sack of feed every other day. This gives zero profit for no hormone, no pesticide, no GMO farmer. It does not take into consideration for the time spent changing newspaper like diapers for sanitation and the health of the baby bird. No paycheck for their daily care of feeding and watering and shoveling manure. There is no compensation for the gas that is spent to purchase organic feed that often times cannot be obtained at your usual local feed dealer. Yes, it has to be a passion to free range a bird and patiently herd it back from across a fence and from the nearest neighbors tree. You can bet your bottom dollar, that I will be thankful at our Thanksgiving feast.
There still can be a more with less exchange when you are not paying for doctors visits and your food cravings decline because you have shifted to eating real food just like Great Grandma. This took place long before the drive through was installed for our convenience or for our slow demise.
A new appreciation for healthy food needs to be talked about and discussed with our children. They need to learn to appreciate the finer things in life.
Spend a day helping do chores with your local farmer.
Ask if you can attend butchering day.
Learn where your food comes from, what it eats and the care it is given before it ever reaches the convenience of your table.
Teach your children to understand the depths of how their Great Grandparents lived.
Encourage them not to forget their roots and teach appreciation as they move forward in this face paced world. Convenience like greed has a much higher price to pay.

Cheryl's Turkey Dressing

Ingrediants:
Cook down giblets (heart, liver & gizzard) Chop and add broth to ingrediaents
4 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup melted butter
4 quarts or 16 cups of homemade dried & cubed bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
Whisk 2 eggs
Warm Chicken or turkey broth

Directions:
Add the above ingredients to a mixing bowl.
Add broth to desired consistency.
Place in a Pyrex baking dish.
Cook at 350* for 20 minutes covered and 15-20 minutes uncovered to brown sufficiently.
This recipe makes enough dressing to serve with a 14-18 pound turkey.

My Two Scents

2011-08-31T03:05:00.000-07:00

Each night, I journey to secure the chickens and turkeys from visiting predators. When I was gathering the remnant of straying turkeys from the back of their shed, I spotted a mound of freshly unearthed dirt. My natural assumption was that it was the usual visiting ground hog. I fetched and baited my live trap and set it next to the shed. The next morning when I went to check the trap, I could see from a distance that the trap door had been tripped. With much certainty, I neared to view what I thought would be a ground hog but to my surprise, I had caught a skunk. I stopped dead in my tracks and approached with caution. This was not the usually variety that we see, but a white skunk with a black underside. I quickly processed the event and decided that he was probably trying to dig under the shed to reach the turkeys food, but to no avail. We had diligently buried wire to prevent such measures. Like raccoons, skunks carry rabies. This was not something , we wanted to hang around our farm. I gathered as much information and contacted other locals that could tell me how to dispose of this perfumed critter. I was told to approach it at night with a flash light to blind it and cover it with a heavy blanket. Next, to fill a tub with water or take it to the creek and drowned it.
We set out that night with all our gear in hand and our prepared water filled barrel for his demise. After blinding him and covering him, we slowly and carefully drug him to the barrel. Upon lifting him in the air and lowering him to the water, we discovered that the cage did not fit the rounded water filled brim. Defeated, we left him in the cage and returned the next night for plan B. This time, we decided to back the truck up over the top of the cage and let the exhaust slowly lull him into eternal sleep. The next morning, we arrived to dispose of the poor creature, we were surprised to find a happy and much alive skunk. I was exhausted by the emotion of trying to rid myself of this helpless creature, so I did what most would do. We set him happily free. We watched as he tipped his head and listened to our voices, then slowly moved from his caged existence to quickly scurry into the neighboring wooded enclosure.

How to Catch a Skunk
Shine a flashlight in their eyes at night. It will blind them. Pick them up by the tail. This prevents them from spraying. Put them in a box with a lid that is kept in the dark for transport.

Skunk in a live trap
Shine a flashlight in their eyes as you are approaching. Cover with a heavy blanket. Re-locate miles from your home or take to the nearest body of water and immerse the trap for six minutes or better.

Little Known Facts
The scent gland is sold to high end perfume companies to help hold the scent.

De-Skunk Shampoo
In a plastic bucket mix the following ingredients
1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 to 2 teaspoons liquid soap
for very large pets one quart of tepid tap water may be added to enable complete coverage.
Wash pet promptly and thoroughly, work the solution deep into the fur. Let your nose guide you, leave the solution on about 5 minutes or until the odor is gone. Some heavily oiled areas may require a "rinse and repeat" washing.
Skunks usually aim for the face, but try to keep the solution out of the eyes - it stings. If you have any cuts on your hands you might want to wear latex gloves for the same reason.
After treatment, thoroughly rinse your pet with tepid tap water.
Pour the spent solution down the drain with running water.
NEVER, ever, store mixed solution in a closed bottle, sprayer, etc. Pressure will build up until the container bursts. This can cause severe injury.

Notes
1) Clean plastic mixing containers and utensils are preferred. Metals encourage auto-decomposition of the peroxide.
2) Hydrogen Peroxide 3% solution is usually sold in pint (500ml) bottles, so you'll need two. The 3% grade is often marked "U.S.P.", meaning that it meets the standards for medical use and purity as set forth in the United States Pharmacopoeia.
The use of other strengths/grades is not recommended unless you're a chemist, and even then a trip to the 24-hour drugstore is much better than a trip to the emergency room.
3) Use baking soda, not baking powder. "Arm and Hammer" is one popular brand. Baking soda is also called: Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, U.S.P., Bicarbonate of Soda, and Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate. Do not confuse any of the above with Washing Soda, which is Sodium Carbonate. Washing Soda is about 100 times more alkaline than Baking Soda and can cause skin burns to both you and your pet.
4) Two preferred brands are "Softsoap" and "Ivory Liquid". As far as auto-decomposition of the peroxide is concerned, the surfactant package in these two is fairly inert. Heavy-duty grease-cutting brands such as "Dawn" are less inert, and hair shampoo is probably the worst.
5) Once mixed, the peroxide slowly breaks down into water and oxygen gas. Thus it gets weaker with time and so it should be used promptly. The exact rate depends on temperature, pH, and catalysts such as trace amounts of metals (iron, etc.) in the soap and/or tap water.
How much pressure will the complete decomposition of 3% hydrogen peroxide produce in a closed container ??? It depends on how full the container is. Assuming negligible solubility of Oxygen in water, a bottle half-full of peroxide will develop about 140 psi. A bottle 3/4 full would develop 420 psi. This can do a lot of damage.
Highly pure hydrogen peroxide decomposes very slowly if kept cool and in a dark place, a few percent a year. The more dilute solutions usually decompose faster (due to impurities in the dilution water) and have a trace of stabilizer added. So why aren't the bottles in the store bloated or bursting ? Look carefully inside the cap... you'll see some very tiny holes in the cap liner to let the oxygen gas escape. A good reason to always store bottles upright.
Look for an expiration date on your peroxide. If you're using stuff which has been sitting around in your medicine cabinet for years, buy fresh peroxide.
6) Tepid: lukewarm.
7) All brand names mentioned in this website are trademarks of their various owners.

The Barn

2011-08-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

When we first arrived in Pennsylvania the culturally differences from the West were obvious. The rolling hills and evergreen trees were bountiful. The Amish were scattered in various areas and their plain life was refreshingly reminiscent of yesteryear.
It is not uncommon to be greeted by Pennsylvanians and asked, if you want to see their barn, rather than their house. A barn in Pennsylvania is still highly valued. It's a safe haven where your animals are raised. A shelter to protect ones provision of hay and grain from the long bitter winter. Crops can be fed to sustain your animals or sold for those who are unable to plant. The majority of ones life is spent in the field and in the barn. The barn is still the central and most important part of every Pennsylvania farm.

The Note

2011-08-13T04:28:00.000-07:00

When God sets a passion in your heart there seems to be no denying what just comes naturally. When you have something you love, what is known as work does not contain drudgery but true joy. Well not to say, that work is not involved but the heart reigns over the mundane tasks of labor.

Our first home was a small two bedroom one bath house. The bathroom was so small, that I referred to it as the two bedroom-no bath home. It was on the outskirts of Phoenix and was just 1/3 of an acre but for me it was my first glimmer of what I dreamed, a real farm. Even though the house was the size of a puddle, it was my goal to make it a pond.

Answering an add in the newspaper for chickens, we drove our old Buick to a rural surrounding farm that was selling out and moving to Texas. I drank in the thought of living the life that they had embraced. Growing up with the stories of my Great Grandmother and Grandfather that homesteaded one-hundred and sixty acres in Idaho, I longed to be surrounded by dirt. I was met by a handsome young man that was the son of the owner. He could see my excitement as I picked out a box full of laying hens from his flock. I graciously paid him and we put them in a cardboard box for the ride home. Not knowing a lick about chickens or farm animals for that matter, I did not shut the lid of the box. It was not long that I had a backseat full of full sized, fluttering chickens throughout our car. I’m certain we were a sight to behold.

Our small little house was bursting at the seams. Christin and Kati shared a bedroom and on weekends Candice would come to stay. Our son Dustin had arrived and slept in our bedroom and later would take the couch, as there was no more space for another bed. We were packed like sardines in that little house but all the kids in the neighborhood would make there way over to play at our house. There was more than one occasion that I would find a neighboring child asleep on our couch. A small unobtrusive house with no glitz or glamour that the neighborhood children seemed to see as a safe haven. A home, away from home.

It was not long that word seemed to spread of my love for animals. I took in strays and doctored flightless birds. I remember, one occasion of coming home and finding a dead bird placed on our doorstep with a note attached.

Cheryl,

I found this bird and thought you could bury it.

Love,
Amy

The sweetness of thinking that I was the only one that could properly dispose of this lifeless creature, touched my heart. The sweet innocence of a child resembled that which I had found among my animal friends. A lesson that I will cherish all of my days.

Even the Smallest of His Creatures

2011-07-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor asked, if I would be willing to take one of their baby ducks. It had been trampled by the other adult ducks and one of their chickens was protectively keeping him from getting any food. I was ecstatic because Indian Runner Ducks are my favorite breed of ducks. When I inspected the depths of this little ducklings injury, I was not very hopeful. Indian Runner Ducks hold their bodies upright like little penguins. Without the use of one leg there would be no possible way for this little duck to be able to survive. After little contemplation, we decided that it was worth at try. I went on line and found out how to make shoes to spread its webbed feet and splint it’s legs. The one leg and foot looked hopeful, while the other dangled like a piece of limp spaghetti. There was without a doubt severe nerve damage. My next focus was to give it a boost in nutrition. I added sugar, vitamins, and electrolytes to its water. I gave it free choice game bird feed. I found that if I picked around in the feed with my fingers it gave the duckling the sensation of the mother eating with her. My greatest concern was when I would return to check on her, her one leg would be laid out directly behind her. I was adamant to keep a vigilant eye and keep re-situating the leg into it’s proper position. About a week went by and I felt it was time to remove the splints for inspection. The one leg looked perfect while the other leg had made some progress but not enough for it to even stand. My greatest fear was that now that I had bonded, we would have to humanly put her down. I cried out to God, knowing that if it was His will, He could even heal the smallest of His creatures. The next day, I awakened to check on my little feathered friend. My heart was low as I was beginning to except her unimaginable fate. When I looked in the box, she was trying to stand on her leg. Prayers of praise and tears of joy from this two legged mama duck. There was hope for her survivability. A miracle for one of God’s creatures. As the days went by her leg strengthened, we began to take short little walks. Her little leg went to one side and her webbed foot pointed inward, but she waddled with the utmost of determination. Every morning when I open our chicken coops, Inga runs along side of me to do our chores. We stop to take a break under the oak tree and she gets a bite to eat. On our way back to the house, I help her into the water trough and relish in the joy of watching those little webbed feet swim. Inga is a constant reminder that God is faithful to even the smallest of His creatures.

Do Not Worry
25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Matthew 6:26-27 (KJV)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Matthew 6:26-27 (NIV)

Billy Boy

2011-07-09T05:16:00.000-07:00

The spring and summer months have always offered me joy. Spring for me means new life. On the farm new life is abundant with the birth of a variety of baby animals. A joy that I simple will never tire of. While at the Farm Show last year my husband and I purchased a blue eyed white male peacock to keep our white female hen company. We housed them in the barn for the winter and let them into the back treed area to reside with the chickens in the summer months. David cut paths with the tractor but left the field with a natural landscape. I piled branches in one area for the wild rabbits to reside. A place that I refer to as the Rabbitatury. Yes, a word that I made up but is fitting for their mini wilderness area. I love walking out back and seeing the wild rabbits, peacocks. llamas, alpacas, and Jacob Sheep all meandering through the high blades of foliage, pine and cedar trees. A tranquil oasis to have a quiet time of reflection and thank God for what he has provided for our enjoyment. One evening, we noticed that we had not seen our blue eyed white male peacock but could hear him calling in the distance. Living a stones throw from the Conewago Creek, I was certain that Billy Boy was enticed by his adventurous spirit. The next morning, we received a call from a neighbor that Billy had made his way to their chicken coop and was happily residing with their chickens and ducks. We picked him up by wrapping him in a couple of towels for the ride home. We checked on how to adequately trim his flight feathers in hopes that this would keep him home bound. He was still able to fly short distances and get into a tree for his safe keeping at night. Several days past and Billy and Iola remained together. Just about the time, I think I have one situation conquered the phone rang to let us know that Billy was walking down our road and up the dirt road that leads to our neighbors coop. No longer able to take flight he decided to take the long hike on foot. These summer days we find that Billy Boy comes home for short visits and sleeps in the tree in the front field and then for no apparent reason he takes his hike down the road and up the hill to visit his other favorite flock

Peacocks
Because of their gorgeous appearance, the peacock has long been famous outside of its native countries of Southern Asia and Malaysia. They have been kept for centuries by people first in China and then in Europe and America. The Phoenicians brought the peacock to Egypt more than three thousand years ago. Historical records indicate that Solomon kept several peacock species, among other pheasants, with the India Blue being his favorite peacock. Peafowl were extensively raised by the Romans for the table as well as for ornamental purposes, and medieval Europe carried on this practice as well. It is only after the XVI Century, when turkeys were imported from Mexico, that the peacock was discarded as a table bird for the more fleshy American birds.

Peahens are excellent mothers, but peachicks can be reared just as well in a brooder. They are among the easiest birds to raise. One thing to be careful about is to give them good shelters in the autumn and winter following their birth, as they are not fully grown before eight or ten months.

Peafowl can be quite sociable and often display their feathers right in front of you in the springtime. The male peacock displays his gorgeous tail feathers in the spring and also utters an awakening call which is loud yet quite delight to hear!

Peacock feathers are popularly used in unique crafts and decorations.

The Sequence of Lambing

2011-04-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

Our day started out with it's normal routine. I was cleaning up the kitchen and Daisey was out at the barn feeding animals. The phone rang and Daisey's voice resounded,"Mom, Camden is in Labor." This was a ewe that was from our foundation flock and that we had retired several years ago.
The men in our household have an aversion to closing gates and have failed farmer 101miserably. However, our ram is delighted with the lack of their ability. He has been found in the field long after, he has been removed. Because Camden was older, we decided it was a good idea to keep vigilant eye on her throughout the day.

It was a rainy and cold Pennsylvania day. We gathered a couple of insulated cups filled with hot tea, a deck of cards, and one of our favorite board games Sequence. We are accustomed to living on a wing and a prayer, so we put our farmer ingenuity to work. Daisey remembered where to find and old wood table that Dustin had fashioned during his first year of carpentry. I located a couple of folding chairs tucked in among the bales of straw. We set up our little make shift game table next to the ewes that had already delivered.

This also gave us perfect visibility to Camden as she labored. I marked the time that she first started laboring. An hour went by without her dilating or progressing. Camden even got up on two occasions and came over and stood in front of us baaing. She seemed to be asking for our help. My heart of hearts knew something was very wrong.

We decided to call our neighbor who is a Physicians Assistant and he came to our aid. Once again, Camden got up and stood right in front of him. She began frantically bleating when he entered the barn. She was with out a doubt asking for help. Daisey held her as he began an internal examination. The lamb was situated perfectly for delivery but the water bag and the placenta had intertwined and was wrapped around the lamb. This was preventing the lamb from being able to be delivered without assistance. As Bill reached his hand further, he was able to tear the sack and deliver the lamb. When she first arrived, she lay lifeless. We used an old farmers method of sticking a piece of straw up her nose. This caused her to blow some of the trapped mucus that was not allowing her to breath. I then picked her up by the back legs and gradually swung her outward and lightly against my leg to help expel anything that was causing her from breathing properly.
Through out the day, I was reminded that this was Good Friday. A day that we reflect the time that our Lord hung on the cross. Our thoughts throughout the day prepared in anticipation and remembrance of His resurrection to be celebrated on Easter morning. What a miraculous experience when you see what was lifeless, come to life.
C.A. Bresin

For further information on lambing:
http://www.sheep101.info/201/lambingprocess.html

Lambs and Cupcakes

2011-04-21T05:29:00.000-07:00

Four lambs were born yesterday. First came two ewe lambs out of Dancheska. I named them Danish and Dabnie. They are cross lambs but you would never know it. They are marked just as Jacob lambs should be and have perfect Type A birth fleece. Fleece is my main purpose, so at least one will stay at Rise 'N' Shine Farm.
Right after Daisey left for youth group, I heard all of the sheep baaing and carrying on in the field. In order to get my attention, they just would not let up. It was the call of new birth. When I arrived in the barn, there they stood two more miracles from above. A solid black ewe lamb and a four horn Jacob ram lamb. I was on my own to iodine their umbilical cords, dry them off, put their little Woolover's on, bring mama her molasses water and get them all into the jug area. All was going relatively smooth, until I realized that the jug that was ready was the one with the huge ditch in it. The glories of an old milking barn. The jug adjacent was filled with straw so I began to remove bale by bale until it was emptied. I stooped down to grab the last bale and placed my knee directly on a old rotten duck egg. Oh my, what a smell that quickly permeated the entire barn. I had wished, I could run away from myself. Upon further inspection, I found an entire nest of duck eggs that had been neatly tucked under the hay from last season. This was a job bigger than me. Both stalls needed to be totally gutted, re-strawed and lambs and mom re-situated into what should have been prepared long before now.
When David arrived home he graciously worked in one-forth the time that my lack of muscle would have provided. After cleaning the one stall he put straw in the ditch and covered it with a board. Next, he placed straw over the top to make a nice floor until we can quick-crete it when the weather cooperates. Awe....
In between these events, Daisey and I ordered our dresses for the up-coming Civil War Ball. I will just say, that we are both going to look like cupcakes. Hey, you only live once. So why not.
Hope your morning is filled with blessings from above...
C.A. Bresin

Daisey's Cupcakes

The German Rolling Pin

2011-04-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

Living in Pennsylvania offers the splendor of a variety of old world demonstrations. We entered a hand stoned home when we were embraced by the sweet smell of homemade biscuits. As we neared the kitchen area the walk in stone fire place was graced with black rod iron cooking pots. The warmth of the fire filled the room and the sweet smell of biscuits cooking permeated the entire lower level of the home. A women stood at a large wooden table dressed in period clothing. She was mixing up another fresh batch of stone ground biscuits and rolling them out with the most unique rolling pin, I had ever laid my eyes on. I questioned her about the rolling pin and she stated that it was a German rolling pin that was made by a man in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She was kind enough to give me the information where I might locate him. I set out on a quest to find this rare rolling pin but was disheartened that the man that had fashioned her rolling pin no longer was living. I was sent to another source that had duplicated the previous mans work but the price was astronomical in comparison to it’s simplicity. I had set aside the idea of ever owning one of these unique pieces but kept the vision rolling around in my head for weeks.
It was Christmas time and one of our favorite past items is to frequent antique shops in the area. Often times it’s not to purchase anything but just to reminisce about items that we had while growing up or embrace new knowledge of the use of items we encountered. We would walk around sometime for hours taking in all the splendor of yesteryear. I paused in one area with my hand draped across an old dresser. I began a conversation with my husband when I glanced down and there inside the dresser drawer was the rolling pin that I had so desperately wanted. I gasped, picked it up and held it tight to my chest. I paused afraid to turn over the price tag. After all it was in an antique shop and could very well be twice the price that I had already determined as astronomical. I bravely removed it from my chest and drew in a deep breath before I revealed the price. It just could not be, it was fraction of the price and in perfect condition. As I inspected it further it was engraved with the name of the man that had passed on and date as proof of authenticity. I knew at this very moment that this was a gift from above.

Cheryl’s Whole Wheat Bread

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and turn your oven off .

Place 2 ½ Tablespoons of yeast in a bowl with 1 Tablespoon of natural sugar and ½ cup of warm water. Let rise.

Place in your Bosch Mixer
5 cups of hot water
2/3 cups olive oil (place oil first so honey does not stick to your measuring cup)
2/3 cups honey
2 Tablespoons of salt
Pulse above ingredients to mix 4 to 5 times

Add yeast mixture when water has cooled to a warm temperature so that you don’t kill your yeast. Pulse to blend 3 times
Begin to Add wheat a cup full at a time
It usually takes about 12 or more cups of freshly ground whole wheat depending on the humidity..
I just add wheat until the dough does not stick onto the side of the bowl.
Set timer for 10 minutes and let the Bosh mix on setting 1

When removing your bread from the bowl, grease counter well with olive oil. (It’s a puddle of oil). Place oil on your hands to pull the dough from the bowl and remove from the dough hook.
Take the mound of dough and fold in the air by grabbing each corner and placing it in the center of your dough. You will do all four corners the same way.
Now, divide dough into four batches and fold air into each batch the same as above.
Grease bread loaf pans and place in warm oven to rise until double in size.
Do not preheat oven but shut door and set oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
When removing from oven let sit in pans for a couple of minutes to rest and take a butter knife around the edges to remove onto a cooling rack.
You can rub butter over the tops of bread to make a shiny top on each loaf.
Store in air tight bags.

When making sweet rolls, roll one bread loaf size dough out sprinkle with brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Roll it long ways and slide dental floss underneath the loaf and pull upward to cut desired size pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes.
You can glaze them with a powdered sugar and cream cheese frosting or eat just as is.
Store in air tight container. C.A. Bresin www.risenshinefarm.com

Cassie Rose

2011-04-13T01:59:00.000-07:00

Our Border Collie Cassie came to us as an unwanted pet that was herding a vast amount of cattle without command or guidance. Border Collies have a natural instinct to herd but without the proper training can become a thorn in anyone’s side. The simple problem is they are intelligent, high energy dogs, that get bored quickly. If you can't find a way for them to stay busy, they will. There idea of staying busy may not be advantages or beneficial to anyone but themselves. When Cassie first came to our farm, she would jump our front gate and make her way into our front field before we ever missed her. She would herd the baby calves from one corner to another until they would drop from exhaustion. Her other favorite past time was to lay low in the grass along side the road and run along side the cars. She would hit their door as if she were playing tag. There was many a frightened passer by that thought they had hit her instead of her hitting them. It wasn’t long before we caught onto her antics and put a stop to them. No, we didn’t tie her, hit her, or find other degrading means to stop her behavior. We simply put her over abundance of energy to good use. First we tried training her to bring in the sheep when we were there to supervise. She was brilliant! She would watch my hand commands and bring them all the way in. Our problem surfaced when she felt it was necessary to bite them on the heels when she got too close. I spoke with a trainer for herding dogs and she suggested muzzling her during the time we were working the sheep. Cassie spent a good bit of her time buried beneath the grass trying to work that muzzle off her face with her paws. Rather than give up on her abilities, we found a book that showed all the uses for Border Collies. We asked Dustin if he could make us some jumps and a ring as a obstacle coarse and set her to the new task. It didn’t take long before she was clearing the jumps and making her way flying through the hoop. She was a natural! This was not only fun for her but we really enjoyed watching her gracefully glide through the air.
Cassie always had an aversion for ground hogs. One day, I was standing in the field with her and I saw her bury her head in a hole. The next thing I knew, she had lifted that ground hog from it’s hole, snapped it’s neck, threw it in the air, and then tossed it at my legs. I let out a scream, took flight and landed to see the proud gaze and wagging tail of our little black and white Border Collie. It was plain and simply, a job well done.
So often I hear or see of people who misunderstand the abilities and the way a dog thinks and reacts. More times than not, it’s the problem owner not the problem dog. A dog will always give you back the love and respect you give them.
To one of the best little ground hoggers bar none. You are a part of so many cherished memories here at the farm. You will always be loved and your presence forever missed. April 14, 1999 - December 12, 2011
C.A. Bresin (Welcome to My World)

The Border Collie originated in the border country between Scotland and England where the shepherds' breeding selection was based on biddable stock sense and the ability to work long days on rugged terrain. As a result of this selective breeding, the Border Collie developed the unique working style of gathering and fetching the stock with wide sweeping outruns. The stock is then controlled with an intense gaze known as "eye", coupled with a stalking style of movement. This selective breeding over hundreds of years developed the Border Collie's intensity, energy and trainability which are features so important that they are equal to physical size and appearance. The Border Collie has extraordinary instinct and an uncanny ability to reason. One of its greatest assets is the ability to work out of sight of its master without commands. Breeding based on this working ability has made this breed the world's premier sheep herding dog, a job the Border Collie is still used for worldwide.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/border_collie/

Georgia

2011-04-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

It wasn't long after our goose Lucy made the news that people began to call for one reason or another. One morning a farmer responded to the article in the newspaper saying, he didn't have our goose but he had a goose or two that we could have. There was really not another goose that could fill Lucy's place but we set off on a days adventure. His farm was neatly tucked back in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania. We meandered down a dirt road and past a pond where we met an older man dressed in well worn overalls. He greeted us and took us to the barn were he had ducks, geese, and a male turkey that met us up close and personal, as he shook his feathers and did his turkey dance. We decided on a couple of White Ebden Geese and the farmer said, he would even throw in a little bantam hen and tree duck eggs. Down the road we traveled to take our barnyard friends to their new home. It was nice to once again hear the sound of geese honking and clamoring as they waddled in front of our barn.
We named the little red bantie hen Georgia and placed her in a laying box and carefully put the duck eggs under her. It was really quite comical because she was so small that she barley covered the large eggs. She sat diligently until one day the hatching began. What a sight to behold as this little hen hatched out three perfect yellow ducklings.
We were in the process of a move to a new farm that had a larger barn and a small pond. Gathering all of our animals for the move was quite a challenge. The horses were loaded in a stock trailer. The dogs and cats were crated and the chickens and geese were placed in separate containers. Special care was given to Georgia and her waddling feathered ducklings. Adjacent to the barn rested a little pond that I knew would be perfect for the ducks. We began to unload our variety of barnyard critters when the ducklings quickly made there way to the little pond. With out any hesitation Georgia followed them into the pond before she realized that she could not swim. As her confusion rose, the flapping and struggling to try to stay afloat overcame her very existence. We quickly went to rescue our puzzled little bantie. This was without a doubt the last time that she would try to swim. In the upcoming days Georgia would peck around the pond as her hatchlings enjoyed their daily swim. Once her ducklings were done swimming, you could see them faithfully waddling single file behind Georgia throughout the day.
C. A. Bresin

Bantam Chickens
A bantam is a small variety of chicken, deriving it’s the name from the city of Bantam. Bantam was once a major seaport, in Indonesia. European sailors found the small native breeds of chicken in Southeast Asia to be useful, and any such small poultry came to be known as a bantam. Bantams are usually one-fifth to one-forth the size of an average chicken.
Bantams are suitable for smaller backyards as they do not need as much space as other breeds. Bantam hens are also used as laying hens, although Bantam eggs are only about one-half to one-third the size of a regular hen egg.
Many bantam hens are renowned for hatching and brooding purpose. They are very protective mothers and will attack anything that gets near their young.
excerpts taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantam_(poultry)

God's Provision

2011-03-30T02:13:00.000-07:00

The joys of living on a farm outnumbers the challenges. Caring for our animals on a daily basis not only requires feeding and making certain they have fresh water but the administering of wormers, vaccinations and a variety of general care. Each type of animal requires a different feed and the knowledge of its individual design to properly raise and maintain it's survivability.
Chickens have been a passion of mine for over twenty years. I still delight in the fact that God has provided us with all we need for our sustainability.
Each morning we go out, open the coop door and give them some chicken mash and fresh water. We use a natural parasite control and organic dusting powder for lice and mites. Chickens are relatively easy to keep other than the constant watch for predators. Our farm resides along the Conewago Creek, so we seem to have a variety of fox, raccoons, possum, and chicken hawks. We even have a resident bald eagle that nests along the creek and sits in one of our trees to peruse her delectable fancies. A massive white owl has been known to visit on occasion. All of these predators are a constant source for absconding my cherished feathered flock.
It was broad daylight when I heard our chickens creating a loud cackling stir. We raced out to the coop to find that something had brazenly entered. I could see white feathers scattered across the field. Upon further investigation the first and largest patch of feathers were located where our chicken had been killed. Right next to the feathers remained a pile of her intestines. We then discovered a fresh pile of poop that the animal left as a way to mark it's territory. Fortunately, I had recently purchased a tracking book, which Daisey fetched so that we could inspect our findings. As I flipped through the pages, I eyed a surprising perfect match. It was undoubtedly a fox. We could hear the foxes eerie calls during the night. Their shrill screams sends chills up my spine when walking in our darkened fields.
Now that we had identified our culprit, we set out to track our adversary. We swayed back and forth across the field as if we were on a treasure hunt. We could see an occasional feather that kept us on coarse. As we approached a ravine, we came to an end. Our Border Collie Cassie had been eagerly tagging along. We sent her down by the stream that naturally flowed between the crevices of the terrain. She seemed to be onto something, as she frantically sniffed and began to paw at a pile of leaves. Our son Dustin climbed down to help her unearth her prized discovery. There it was, neatly tucked under the leaves resting close to the cold free flowing water. The fox had intelligently placed it for safe keeping so that she could come back for it when she needed to feed her young. We placed the leaves back over the top of our chicken as the fox had rightfully won her kill.
We walked back across the open field realizing that we were not only provided with a knowledgeable adventure, but we witnessed first hand God's provision for all of his creatures.
C.A. Bresin

Fabulous Foxes
Foxes belong to the canid family and include such species as red fox, kit fox, swift fox, fennec fox, arctic fox and gray fox, just to name a few. While some species of canid have been hunted almost to extinction because of their penchant for livestock and the depletion of their natural habitats, some species of fox such as the red fox have adapted well to changing times and find great opportunities for food and shelter in urban environments. The red fox is not a finicky eater, and will ingest beetles, worms, frogs, birds, eggs, mice, fruits and refuse.
Similar Characteristics: All species of foxes have similar characteristics. They tend to be light brown, reddish, gray or dark brown in color, except for the arctic fox, which is pure white in winter. Most foxes have relatively large ears that stand up straight and long bushy tails. Home for most foxes is a den tucked away among rock crevices, an abandoned rabbit burrow or a tree hole in the case of the gray fox.

DID YOU KNOW?
Fox Names
A pack of foxes is called a "skulk."
A fox's bushy tail is called a "brush."
And its acute muzzle is called a "fox face."

On the Brink
Some fox species, such as the red fox, are highly adaptive. Others, like the crab-eating fox of South America and the bat-eared fox of Africa, are on the brink of extinction in their native habitats.

Cold-Adapted Fox
The arctic fox has several adaptions to its cold environment, including thick, white fur, a good supply of body fat and a system of blood circulation in its paws that keep them constantly warm.
http://animal.discovery.com/mammals/fox/

Shearing Day 2011

2011-03-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

A Pioneer Spirit

2011-03-08T03:42:00.000-08:00

The day had arrived that Emma would journey across the wide open sea to a new land. She had diligently saved her money for her ticket on the ship Helvetia. The journey would take forty days or more and there would be no turning back. All she had known was her birth place of Appelbo Sweden. Being a young lady her sights were fresh and untainted. With youth comes the freedom from unknown fears and the willingness to experience unsettled territories.
From the moment Emma stepped foot onto the Helvetia, her heart raced with excitement as she anticipated the journey ahead. The large crowds of people filed to their designated cabins, but many more would be escorted to the steerage below the ships deck. The massive trunks filled with treasured belongings were stored below and a carry on bag of personal necessities remained with each passenger.
One could feel the era of excitement as the passengers shuffled around. After the first and second class passengers settled in, many returned to the deck to wave farewell to those that were left behind. With arms waving, for some this would be their last farewell. The voices and cheers over shadowed the ships whistle that bellowed as the large vessel pulled from the shore. For a moment, there seemed to be an unsettling calm as the emotions of leaving their loved ones brought forth the reality of the journey ahead.
As they set sail, the waters were brisk and the smell of salt water filled the air. It was not long before there was music playing and many of the passengers were brought joy by and endless night of celebration and dancing. This was a time of festivities and the making of new friends that all shared one common virtue, a pioneer spirit.
C.A.Bresin

The development of passenger vessels made the journey easier, cheaper, and faster for many immigrants. By the 1870s, steam powered ships replaced sailing ships. They were bigger, faster and safer. Immigrants in the early 1800s had to endure voyages averaging 40 days, depending on weather; by the 1900's, the average voyage was only one week long.
In order to account for and regulate immigration, the US government established immigrant processing centers on both the East and West Coasts. 70% of the European immigrants beginning in 1855 would be dropped off at Castle Garden on Manhattan Island and pass a series of examinations. In 1892, a new immigrant center at Ellis Island was built to replace Castle Garden. On the West Coast, immigrants, mostly Chinese or Japanese, arrived through Seattle or Angel Island in San Francisco.
The increased convenience of immigration did not, however, imply a level of comfort for the immigrants anywhere near modern standards. Poor sanitation and food, as well as diseases such as cholera and typhus, were still common on the trans-Atlantic liners.
Immigrants who could only afford the minimal third-class fees of about $30 were referred to as "steerage passengers." The name came from the part of the ship, the steerage, where they were kept and which provided the cheapest possible accommodations. It was crowded below deck, and steerage passengers were seldom allowed to go up for fresh air. The trans-Atlantic shipping companies had not yet learned to provide efficient basic services, such as food, and often fed passengers nothing but soup or stew, and sometimes bread, biscuits, or potatoes.
Many immigrants had to wash themselves with salt water while drinking stagnant water that was stored in dirty casks. At the root of these problems was a mindset on the part of many of the companies that considered the immigrants "human cargo." These same companies would often ship American-made goods to Europe on the return trip, and could not yet see the essential distinction between transporting products and people. They would learn with time.
Even after the tough voyage, immigrants were not guaranteed entry to America. About 250,000 people (2% of all immigrants) were sent back home. 1st and 2nd class passengers were inspected on the ship, but 3rd class passengers had to go to Ellis or Angel Island for screening, waiting about three to five hours in line and undergoing inspections of both a medical and legal nature.
Officials at Ellis Island also did something that is not commonly done today. When they could not pronounce an immigrant's name, the immigration inspectors thought that this gave them the prerogative to change the name to something less difficult. Names like "Andrjuljawierjus" might be simplified to "Andrews" or something similar.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/268908/immigration_from_1870_to_1920_the_journey.html?cat=37

Quilts For Sale

2011-03-01T02:24:00.000-08:00

Moving across the United States always brought unwanted anticipation. The questions raced through my mind as I embraced the new adventure. Would I like my new home and the people who would surround me? Could I find a good doctor for my family? Would everyday necessities cost more? Where would I purchase feed for our animals? Would I find a good source for buying hay? Is there a good veterinarian in the area? So many things to consider and all of them out of my control. This particular move brought a deeper venue, a change in culture. We were moving among the Amish. I enjoyed soaking in the ambiance of the passing buggies. Slowing down to consider another way of life was something I admired. On my way to town to get groceries, I would take the Amish backgrounds and drink in the beautiful farms with pristine gardens laden with flowers. Often times, I would see a Amish farmer working with his majestic draft horses gathering shocks into a neatly packed array. As I rode further down the dirt roads, I passed an Amish one room school house. This was another cherished opportunity to watch the children playing in their school yard enveloping in the traditions of their community.
One of my favorite stops was the Amish tack store. The buggies were hitched to posts out front. When entering the dimly light wooden building, the stoves were filled with coal that brought about a warmth that was like no other. The heavy boarded floors resounded as you walked through out the shop. The shelves were neatly stacked with work boots, oil lamps, and other accessories. The upstairs was filled with saddles and bridles. Along the wall were red wagons awaiting the some little boy or girl who would happily use them for pleasure or possible to carry supplies. Even the Amish children knew what it was to work and contribute to the livelihood of their family.
There was always a few Amish man off to the side of the front counter. They busily repaired leather bridles and any other work that needed to be done for their Amish and English customers. I frequented this tack shop for some time before I was no longer looked at as an outsider but someone that was here to do business like so many others.
On one particular day, I noticed a black and white hand painted sign out front of an Amish home that read, Quilts For Sale. As I pulled in, I marveled at the serenity of the this home. We went in the little shop and sitting quietly doing some needle work sat a Amish lady. She sat quietly while we looked through the endless displays of hand sewn quilts. There was a rack of quilts that were neatly displayed. A double bed sat next to a sun lite window that you could fold back one quilt after another. An endless masterpiece of hand sewn needle work that created some of the most beautiful patterns and an endless array of colors.
On one of my many stops to the Amish quilt shop, I noticed my little Amish lady entering her house to have coffee with an English neighbor. I remember thinking what a honor and privilege to have and Amish friend and especially this one.
One day I got up the nerve to ask her name and she glanced from her work to say in a slight Dutch accent, Mary Ann. She seemed to become more comfortable with me as my daughters and son would enter on a regular weekly basis.
On one of my visits she asked if I would take her to pick up a new Chihuahua puppy at another Amish house. A buggy ride would be quite a ride but a ride in a car would get her there and back in no time. She was so excited to get her new puppy and offered to pay me for my time. I surprised her by saying, that I would take a kiss on the cheek for payment. May Anne giggled and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
Our friendship grew an we were invited to their home for a dinner. This was like being in a dream or stepping into the pages of a story book. These were not just some Amish people, Danielle and Mary Ann became true friends.

The Family Table

2011-02-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

The beginning of February starts with preparations for our annual shearing day. This year we are excited to begin our five hour journey to Amish country. Our quest is to pick up a Amish handcrafted family table. A family table is designed to accommodate a growing family, once common to most rural homes. It has several leafs you can add and benches that can be stacked when the extra space is needed. The family table will be constructed of solid oak and will extend to sixteen feet. Our guests for shearing day will be able to enjoy a meal of lamb stew, homemade biscuits, and desserts. It will be wonderful to all be seated at the same table.
We hold a treasure chest of found memories of shopping at the local Amish tack store and traveling down the dirt roads slowly behind a buggy or two. This was an area that we lived for seven years. Living among the Amish offered us the opportunity to visit the local wood shops that reside at individual Amish farms. The Amish carpenters display the craftsmanship from the days of old, when a piece of handcrafted furniture was like signing your name to a painting. There is a sustainable accomplishment in their work as it is constructed with solid materials and with the strength to endure future generations. Somehow, between the two distinct worlds their becomes a blur when friendships are established.
C.A. Bresin

Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:
2 pounds organic potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons Daisy sour cream or softened cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 -2 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas, a couple of handfuls or a bag of organic frozen vegetables
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grass fed organic butter
2 tablespoons Daisey organic all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and beat with electric mixer until potatoes are almost smooth.
Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne pepper to taste. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. If you are using lamb and the pan is fatty, spoon away some of the drippings. Add chopped carrots, onions to the meat or frozen vegetables. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes on moderate heat setting, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat melt butter. Whisk butter and flour into the broth. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.
Preheat broiler to high. Fill a rectangular Pyrex casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly.
Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

C.A. Bresin (Welcome to My World) www.risenshinefarm.com

Butchering Day on the Farm

2010-10-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

Our seven little broody hens sat fervishly through out the spring and summer months. They diligently hatched out sixty-three eggs over a coarse of a couple of months. We had several generations of certain breeds that we had systematically crossed giving us a nice dual purpose feather footed variety.
For those of you who live on a farm, you are well aware that you can not keep a multitude of male animals or the rivalry can result in death. Often times, I see man intruding on what G-d has naturally designed in the wild but in this case, I believe we are taking advantage of G-d's provision.
As the chicks grow we can usually tell the males by the sparring between the sexes. At a very young age they already show their ability to fight with one another. We take advantage of sorting them into a separate pen to be raised for meat. The young hens will be raised for future egg layers and the cycle repeats itself.
On butchering day, we catch the chickens one by one. Holding them upside down causes all the blood to flow to their head and relaxes them. We cut the bottom of a plastic milk container entirely off and tie it carefully with wire to the fence for a make shift funnel. Each chicken is placed head first with it's head securely through the spout of the container. The head is quickly sliced off and the chicken begins to flap inside the container. This is entirely caused by reflexes as the chicken is completely dead. It is important for the chicken to remain upside down for the blood to leave it's body cavity completely. Leaving the blood in the body of the chicken will cause your meat to be tough. We carry them upside down by their feet to be dipped in a scalding hot pot of 180 degree water. Each chicken will be held by there feet and dipped for 15 - 20 seconds. This process loosens the feathers and the hand plucking begins. Once they are plucked there are rinsed and the internal organs are carefully removed. You never want to disturb the gallbladder as the toxins can contaminate your meat. The bird is rinsed again thoroughly and placed in a bucket of water filled with ice. We add just a small amount of Clorox as a disinfectant. The birds are removed from the ice water and the excess water is drained from the bird before wrapping in butcher paper. Next, they are sealed carefully with tin foil to be frozen for a hearty winters meal of chicken soup or a variety of delectable chicken dishes.
There are certain days on the farm that are filled with hard work and often times not pleasant tasks. These are the times that we prepare a delicious meal to follow the event that are all to familiar for those who live on a farm.. A hard day of work can be rewarded with a festivity and change the entire perspective of another work day on the farm.
C.A. Bresin

Did You Know?
Eggs have been called the perfect food. One egg contains almost all the necessary nutrients.
If you break a fresh egg into a dish, the white is compact and firmly holds the yolk up. In an old egg, the white is runny and the yolk will flatten out.
A good way to tell if an egg is fresh is to put it in cold water. A fresh egg contains little air so it will sink.
A batch of eggs that are hatched together is called a clutch.
To have fertilized eggs, you will need to have 1 rooster to 8-12 hens.
When storing eggs in an egg carton, place the larger end up.
Hens lay best when the temperature is between 45-80 degrees (F)
Hens lay best at 1 to 2 years of age.
A lighter weight hen eats about 4 lbs. of feed for every dozen eggs she lays.
All hens lay eggs, but some will lay more eggs than others.
Hens with while ear lobes lay white eggs and hen with red ear lobes lay brown eggs. There are some exceptions.
A hen thirty weeks old can lay at least 2 eggs every 3 days.
A pullet is a hen that is under 1 year of age.
All pullets lay small eggs at first then they lay 1 egg every 3-4 days. 21 weeks
Chickens will molt at about 18 months of age. Molting is where they loose all or some of their feathers and stop producing eggs. This is a natural shedding of feathers. Molting may take 2-4 months.
A group of chickens is called a flock.
A chicken can live between 10-15 years.
Chickens can start sparring to establish the pecking order at about 6 weeks of age.(And I've seen it in 1 week old chicks.)
A chicken kept for both meat and eggs is call a dual-purpose chicken.
Hens will start producing eggs between 5-7 months of age.
Depending on the weather and the chicken's size, they can drink 1-2 cups of water each day.
An ideal chicken perch is about 2 inches in diameter. If you have bantams, a 1 inch diameter is big enough.
Bantam chickens are popular as pets because they need less room and eat less than larger breeds.
Araucana chickens lay green eggs. They are call the Easter Egg Chicken.
Some people think that Araucanas lay a lower cholesterol egg. This isn't true. Eggs are all the same in amount of cholesterol.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html

Going Home

2010-10-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

The apples were ready to harvest and Daddy would get the long ladder and brace it firmly within the branches. He would strap a big sack to the front of his chest and begin to carefully pick and place each apple in the sack. When the sack was filled he would come down from the ladder and empty the apples into a basket on the ground. As he would clear the apples from one area he would move the big ladder and carefully nestle it between another group of branches and the picking would resume.
As Daddy reached his arm forward, he leaned to get one last apple before moving the ladder. The weight of his body tipped the ladder and the branches could not hold his weight. Daddy was thrown forward through the branches and came tumbling to the ground. Mama would check on him periodically. As she looked out the kitchen window, she him lying on the ground. She screamed my name, "Marian come quickly" as she ran for the back door. I hurriedly came running down the stairs and was not far behind Mama. It was a terrible sight to see my Daddy lying on the ground unconscious. When he was being transported to the hospital, he regained consciousness and was in severe pain. Mama and I sat nervously in the waiting room to hear the news that the doctor would share with us. We waited for hours and the doctor finally approached Mama with the terrible news that Daddy had broken his back. Daddy's heart was already so week. It was hard to know how much his body would be able to tolerate. I remember the day well that we were allowed to bring daddy home from the hospital. We made a place for him on the first floor so we could care for him. His weekend heart mad it so that he never recovered from the terrible fall. On Christmas Day, Daddy went home to be with our Lord. It was a time of great sadness. There was a corner of my heart that was happy that he did not have to suffer any longer.

Daddies Cherry and Apple Orchard

2010-10-16T05:08:00.000-07:00

Daddy's heart had weakened, so we had to sell the Mercantile in Deary. We were fortunate to find five acres in Clarkston Washington with a nice two story framed house. Daddy seemed to feel better from the change in altitude. When the weather began to break, daddy would be found planting amidst the already existing apple and cherry tees. It seemed to be no time at all before he had a profitable orchard of over one hundred trees. There was always so much for him to do. He would prune and fertilize and would tend to each tree with such care. It was always so beautiful to see the cherry and apple blossom begin to flourish in the late spring. The bees would be dancing around the flowers and the pollinating began. The green bulbs of fruit would start to erupt and the humidity would turn each piece of fruit into a ripened masterpiece.
When daddy began to pick the cherries, it was my job to fill the trunk of the car with the fruit from our little orchard. Next, I would carefully drive across the bridge to Lewiston. While crossing, I would grab a quick glance out the window to see the snake river flowing gracefully below. At thirteen, I was still a wee thing. I could barely see through the steering wheel as I cautiously drove along the rural roads. It was the Depression and a family had to do, what they had to do to make a living. As I entered the town of Lewiston, I could see a police car sitting along side of the road. My heart would beat with fear and anticipation. I kept my eyes forward as I moved cautiously closer to my destination. The policeman knew how tough the times were and could see no harm in turning his head the other way.
Being very small in stature, I could not even open the trunk myself. The store manager would lift the trunk before viewing the neatly boxed ruby red cherries.
In the summer months, I would drive back and forth until the cherries diminished and then in August the Apples would begin to be harvested. C.A. Bresin

Planting and Pruning Cherry Trees
Cherry Trees are typically not self-pollinating meaning that only one tree in the garden will generally not be able to produce much fruit.
Planting two or more different species with similar bloom times is a good idea. The location should have soil that is well drained, since standing water will easily kill the trees. The location should also have good air drainage, keeping low-lying cold air in the spring away from the tree. The location used for planting cherry trees should also provide for full sun access. If planting cherry trees in a lawn, the grass should be removed from the planting area in a four-foot diameter circle, to prevent the grass from competing with the young tree for nutrients and water.
Once the site is selected the first step in planting cherry trees is to dig the hole. The hole should be approximately twice the diameter of the root system, and two feet deep. The soil should also be loosened up around the border to allow the roots to break through more easily. The roots should be spread out on the loose soil, ensuring that they are not twisted or crowded. Soil should be placed around the roots and pressed down firmly, to remove any air pockets.
Pruning cherry trees plays an important role in ensuring proper growth and fruit production. Before understanding how to prune a cherry tree, it is important to know how cherry trees grow. Cherry trees are central leader trees. This means that there is one main upright trunk, called the leader. All branches will sprout and grow out of this. A properly pruned cherry tree should have a scaffold shape. This means that there are branches circling the tree, perpendicular to the leader, and there should be an area of about two feet between the levels to allow for light to reach the lower leaves and fruit.Pruning cherry trees should be done in the late winter, encouraging the plant to grow more during the growing season. The first level of branches should begin between twenty-four to thirty-six inches above the surface of the soil. The branches growing out of the central leader should be either weighted down or tied loosely to string to promote outward growth as opposed to vertical growth. The outward growing branches will produce more fruit and grow less vigorously.
Pruning cherry trees during the summer will inhibit growth, and should be done once the desired size has been reached. Pruning cherry trees too early in the winter may make the tree vulnerable to bacterial infections.
http://www.aboutcherrytrees.com/index.shtml

Blue Ribbon Butter at Deary's Idaho's Friendship Day's

2010-10-10T05:03:00.000-07:00

Emma had been preparing for the yearly occasion of Friendship Day held in the rural agricultural town of Deary Idaho. There was not many days that were spent away from the farm, but this was a special occasion that was eagerly anticipated.
Emma planned each detail carefully saving several milkings, while skimming off the cream that had surfaced on the top of the shiny milk container. The tedious process of hand churning until the fat content separated from the liquid began. As the butter formed the wooden churn would fill and Emma's arms would begin to tire. Emma would continue until all the liquid had separated and and a large mound of yellow cream stood firmly from the gravitational force. Next the lid was removed and the liquid was poured from the elongated wooden churn and the butter was harvested. Emma carefully kneaded the fresh mound into a bowl of cold water. She freshened the water several times until the water ran clear as she continued kneading. Once the water was clear, she would raise her hands out of the water and begin to kneed the remaining liquid from the now forming mound of butter. Emma would carefully add just the right amount of salt for taste and the butter would be carefully placed into the wooden molds. The final touch would be when the butter would be chilled and removed from the mold to display a intricate design that would remain on the top of each yellow artistic accomplishment. Emma would proudly display her homemade butter at Deary's Friendship Days and take fist place year after year.
C.A. Bresin

Emma's Home Made Butter
After milking your cow, refrigerate the milk immediately. Let your container sit in the refrigerator over night. This will let the cream rise to the top. Carefully take the cream off with a large slotted spoon and place in a separate container. Make certain to cover your milk and cream so that it does not pick up any undesirable flavors from your refrigerator. Continue to do this after each milking until you have enough for a batch of butter. You will need to save the cream from several milkings.

Take your cream and use either a hand churn or electric mixer. You are simply separating the cream and the liquid. As the liquid forms, dump it off. Continue to churn or beat until the liquid has completely separated from the butter.
Now you should have one nice ball of cream
Fill a bowl with ice water and knead the ball with your hands thoroughly. The water will become cloudy. Repeat with fresh ice water and knead again. Continue until the water is no longer cloudy. This will give you good fresh butter.
Remove from the water and hand knead the excess water out of the butter.
Add some sea salt for taste and knead thoroughly.

When the grass is at its greenest, your butter will be a natural soft yellow. There is really no need to add coloring, as it is just for eye appeal and does nothing to the purely delicious taste.
There is nothing like a Jersey cow for the best cream and butter that can be found.

You can put your butter in a butter mold or pack it in square bricks to be wrapped in parchment and covered with foil for freezing.

It takes five quarts of milk to make one pound of butter. C.A. Bresin

*My Great Grandmother Ingaborg “Emma” Larson, Swanson took 1st place at the founding of Deary Friendship Days in Deary, Idaho, year after year for her delicious home made butter.

Deary's Friendship Days started in 1907 and continues to present day. Friendship Days is held August 7th at Deary, Idaho. Deary, is presently celebrating its 102nd year. This historical village, originally a company town for the Potlatch Lumber Company, is located north of Lewiston on State Route 3 at the junction with State Route 8.
http://www.idaho-insider.com/localevents.html

WORKERS NEEDED!

2010-10-08T04:25:00.000-07:00

As the Northern Pacific Railway would rumble through the mountainous treed areas, the desolate beginnings encompassed survival. The whistle would blow and the next steep curve would slow the engines down. The passengers would gaze out the windows to view the scenery that was moving in slow motion. A single car accompanied passengers traveling to newly settled destinations. Others had climbed aboard the cars holding well stacked logs on their way to the Potlatch Lumber Company.
As the train would slow up though the pass at Spud Hill, one could read a handwritten sign that was posted on an outlying tree, "WORKERS NEEDED! HOME COOKED MEAL AND LODGING." Of coarse, there were those that were just drifters who only wanted to scavenge there way through existence, but there were others who were willing to put in a hard days work for the rewards of a hot meal and a place to rest their tired body. On occasion a man would jump off and find his way through the thick pine, fur, and cedar trees to the Swanson's little cabin. Swan would meet them at the front step with the details of the work that needed to be accomplished for the day.
Each day Emma would rise early and begin her task of making homemade biscuits, ham, eggs, and the daily provisions of food and deserts prepared from the basic ingredients purchased or bartered for at the local mercantile. Her Swedish heritage and offered her some delectable recipes with spices of cinnamon and cardamom.
As the sun would begin to set the men would return home, tend to the draft horses and set out to reap the much desired reward of a delicious hot meal that Emma had lovingly prepared. The smell of onions and spices would fill the air. The table was set with Scandinavian decor and the oil lamp would dimly light the room. Swan would bow his head and speak in a gentle voice, giving thanks to Our Lord for the provision of strength, helping hands, and bounty which they were about to receive and close with, "I Jesu Namn." Emma could cook a meal that would long be held in every visitors memory. After dinner the visitor would be given a soft bed of straw and plenty of blankets and would be housed in the hand hewed log barn.
C.A. Bresin

Traditional Swedish Blessing
I Jesu namn till bords vi gå
Välsigna Gud den Mat vi få
Gud till ära, oss till gagn
Så få vi mat I Jesu namn.

In Jesus’ name to the table we go
God bless the food we receive
To God the honor, Us the gain,
So we have food in Jesus name.

Deary Idaho was settled in the 1880's and 1890's predominately by Scandinavians. In 1905 Potlatch Lumber Company engineers decided to locate a station of the Washington, Idaho & Montana Railway on this site. The town was named for William Deary, the company's general manager, who secured the claims and set up the Deary Townsite Company to sell land after it had been cleared of timber. When sale of lots began in 1907, Deary grew quickly, with lumbering and farming the chief occupations. After the 1920's, with dwindling activity of the lumber industry in this vicinity and the paving of roads to Moscow, Deary settled into its present role as an outlying agricultural community. http://users.moscow.com/lchs/history.html

The Gypsy and His Lamb

2010-10-07T03:45:00.000-07:00

When my Grandmother Esther married Theodore Glomb, life had it's peeks and valleys. Ted was given a series of vaccinations in the Army that had irretrievable weekend his heart. They were no longer able to work on the farm and needed to find a job that would not be as strenuous due to his preexisting conditions.
The small town of Deary offered a few possibilities. Ted applied for a job at the Deary Mercantile and saved every penny he could with out jeopardizing his family. Ted had a vision of opening a Confectionery where they could sell candy, soda's, ice cream, and have a small place for those who would like to informally dine.
It was not long before the opportunity arose for him to leave the Mercantile and open up The Deary Confectionery. It was right on the corner of Eighth Street which was the center of town. In just a short time Ted and Esther were established and customers would stroll in to browse and dine. The candy could be viewed through the plated glass counter or you could sit up high on one of the tall stools to taste a mouthwatering ice cream soda. There were two booths for serving soup and sandwiches that Grandma Esther would be busily preparing in the back kitchen.
There was always the regulars because Deary was a small town. On occasion there would be quite a stir when the Gypsy's would come to town. The little children would run for their life and hide as the Gypsy's were known for their fortunetelling,wild parties and steeling. It was rumored that they would steel children. The very sound of the word Gypsy would change the atmosphere of an entire town.
It was not unheard of for some of the Gypsy's to enter the Confectionery. Ted would be watchful but always treated them with respect. One day a Gypsy entered the store with a white lamb draped over his shoulders. Marian remembers it well as the tall, dark, mysterious man held the lambs front legs with with one hand the the back feet with the other. Teds little girl Marian peeked around the corner from the back room adjacent to the large walk in freezer. The Gypsy spotted her and asked Ted's permission to give the little lamb to his daughter. Ted glanced at his little Marian and nodded to the tall unshaven man with acceptance. Marian was excited by the news but to frightened to greet the Gypsy any further.
It was almost closing time so Ted took Marian and her lamb and set out for a long hike down the railroad tracks to Swan and Emma's farm. Emma was delighted to see them and their new woolen companion. Emma raised the lamb for Marian and later sold it and received five dollars. She opened a bank account for her special granddaughter, that was the first five dollars Marian had ever received.
C.A. Bresin

Gypsy's are members of nomadic people who usually travel in small caravans. The Gypsy's scattered throughout Europe and North America, who maintain a nomadic way of life in industrialized societies. The Gypsy's migrated from NW India from about the 9th century onwards. Any member of a people originating in northern India but now living worldwide, principally in Europe. Most speak Romany in addition to the local language. It is thought that Roma groups left India in successive migrations, reaching western Europe by the 15th century. In the 20th century they spread to North and South America and Australia. Because of their often nomadic and marginalized lives, population figures are largely guesswork; estimates in the early 21st century range from two to three million. They have often been persecuted and harassed; the Nazis killed about 400,000 Roma in extermination camps. How many Roma retain a nomadic lifestyle is unclear, but those that migrate do so at least seasonally along patterned routes that ignore national boundaries. They pursue occupations compatible with a nomadic life. In the past they were often livestock traders, tinkers, fortune-tellers, and entertainers; today they are often car mechanics, auto-body repairmen, and workers in traveling circuses and amusement parks. Confederations of 10–100 families elect chieftains for life, but their title is not heritable. Women are organized as a group within the confederation and represented by a senior woman. Modern Roma culture faces erosion from urban influences; integrated housing, economic independence, and intermarriage with non-Roma have weakened Roma law.
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Gypsey

Romania Reborn Imagine a small child left alone in the world, abandoned without anyone to nurture, love, teach, or provide. This is the reality for far too many Gypsey children in today's Romania. Other children live in their families but face a daunting future of poverty, hardship and neglect. We're committed to changing that.
http://romania-reborn.org/

Recounting Cherished Memories

2010-10-06T03:49:00.000-07:00

My mother recounts the cherished times of visiting her Grandmother Emma and Grandpa Swan on the farm. Her childhood memories included her and her cousin Billy riding the two draft horses Frank and Bluecher. Marian was so tiny her legs would stick out straight on each side of the big burly horse. Her and Billy would trot along happily giggling while astride the large footed beasts.
Frank and Bluecher were Swan's right hand help when working and logging the fields. Swan and Emma would rise for early morning breakfast long before day light. Shortly after, Frank and Bluecher would be hitched up for a long day of work. As the morning would bring light Emma would prepare Swan a biscuit and some food for nourishment. The food would be placed in a small metal bucket and a clothe would be wrapped around the handle and placed into Fido's mouth. Fido was a black and white Border Collie who would faithfully take the bucket of food quite a distance to Swan on a daily basis. When the sun would begin to set Swan and his faithful team would start their journey home. Swan was very appreciative of Frank and Bluecher and respected the work they did for him. Before Swan would enter the cabin for dinner he would carefully brush and feed them. He believed in setting boundaries for his animals and would stand no non sense but he treated them with love and kindness.
Emma worked hard through out the day and would have supper waiting for Swan's arrival. As day light would fade the small cabin would be lite by oil lamps. Emma would remain up and complete some chores as Swan would turn in for the night. My mother recounts staying up late with Emma and hearing a grumble come from Grandpa's room. She asked Emma, "Grandma what is that sound?" Emma would respond in her gently Swedish accent, "Oh, that is yust your grandpa sayin his prayers."
Neither Emma nor Swan took life for granted. A pioneers life was filled with lots of hard work, much loss and cherished times of rejoicing and celebration. None of which were taken for granted.
C.A. Bresin

The Draft Horse
The horses that we recognize as draft horses today, with their powerful bodies and impressive height may have first appeared on the scene in the beginning of the nineteenth century. These horses were bred for transporting freight and for farming, and they were of a particular use when it came to pulling carriages and carts, especially in the time before the railroads. In America, the early twentieth century saw thousands of draft horses being shipped in from Europe. During the last part of the nineteenth century, there were many American draft registries founded, and by 1915, the Percheron was the most numerous draft horse to be found in America.
After a decline following the invention of the automobile and the truck, the modern draft horse is seeing a marked increase in numbers. More and more people are realizing that the heavy draft horse breeds have some very important contributions to make, whether it is for trail riding or in the show rings. Today's draft horses are still in use in an entertainment capacity all over the world, but this is far from their only function.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-History-of-the-Draft-Horse&id=2637908

A Journey to the New World

2010-10-05T04:03:00.000-07:00

Awe, how I marvel at the old stories of my ancestors. I hold onto them like pieces of gold to be retold from generation to generation. My mother's,grandmother and grandfather came from Sweden crossing the vast waters by ship and arriving in the 1800's. My Great Grandmother Emma Larson recounts that there was much dancing on the ship Helvetia. Swan and Emma journeyed across the United States and settled in Deary Idaho.
President Lincoln wanted to make sure every poor man could have his own home.
In 1862 President Lincoln endorsed the Homestead Act giving settlers the opportunity to acquire one hundred and sixty acre parcels. Each homesteader could claim their one parcel by building an 12x12 dwelling thus showing improvement upon the land. Swan had built a log cabin that would be there first residence and the place that my Grandmother Esther and Uncle Albert would be born. Many new land dwellers had cheated and built small scale replica's looking like doll houses. They skated by on the pretense that it said 12x12 and the requirements did not specify inches or feet. This was to their advantage because as the inspector would leave their property they would go to the next one hundred and sixty acre parcel and display another toy sized replica. Many larger replicas had wheels on them so they could be easily moved from parcel to parcel. There were even instances that a husband would claim one side of the dwelling and the wife the other as it was built on the property line of two separate parcels. It was a cheaters way of obtaining more property in contrast to those who were honest and worked by the sweat of their brow.
In the old country they were loggers by trade and so they resumed the trade they knew so well in the new world. Many of my relatives followed to Deary Idaho to reside and work with one another. Deary provided them with an abundance of trees to be harvested for building their homes. We must remember, this was raw untouched land that was not an easy terrain to clear. The dirt had never been worked to obtain crops that would be a much needed provision for food.
Later, Emma's brother Peter would start a saw mill that would offer family members a job. The grand opening of Pers Saw Mill was a rainy and mud laden day. The festivities were complete with the women in their long dresses and floppy hats.
The photo is an original of the Peter Dahlberg's (military name) Grand opening of his saw mill.
C.A. Bresin

In the early 1800's Deary Idaho was just finding it's beginning's. Deary attracted Scandinavian immigrants because of the vast amounts of pine, fur, and cedar trees. Logging was a skill the Scandinavians carried for generations from their homeland.

Goose on the Loose Tugs at Family Ties

2010-10-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Settling into a new area is always an adjustment. We were happy to find a small farm with some partially wooded pasture and a nice barn.
As winter approached it truly became a winter wonderland. Living in a wooded area we had wild critters that we had never seen before other than through a picture in a book.
One day we spotted a white fox at the back of our property. It was so white that it truly blended in with the snow. The horses were attentive to any new intruder. The chickens would cackle up a warning that all the neighbors could hear. Next, we heard Lucy let out a honk that we had never heard before. Her wild and muffled honking was carried off into the depths of the wood until we could hear it no more. Later in the day we found some of Lucy's feathers scattered into the woods..
A neighboring horse owner personally knew of a columnist and sent her over to capture our story of Lucy's beginning s and travels on the airplane and heart wrenching capture by a white fox. She entitled it, "Goose on the Loose Tugs at Family Ties." The article gave a wonderful tribute to our beloved goose and the wiley travels of the Bresin's known to many as the Clampit's.
I thought it was a long shot but I had even called our local high school and asked if they would broadcast over the load speaker about the capture of our goose.
I had really given up hope that we would even find any remains of our Lucy , until one morning our phone rang. It was a kind gentleman that lived up on the corner. He told me the story of this goose that came frantically flying out of the woods and seemed to be so tame. His granddaughter and come home from school and told him about the announcement about the goose. Could it possible be, that she had escaped the snares of the white fox that had snatched her to be his mouth watering dinner?
We went to the gentleman's home to find our much loved and now famous Lucy waiting to be taken back to her barnyard of firends.
C.A. Bresin

Lucy and the Clampits

2010-10-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

Moving is one of the most exciting and grueling times all wrapped up into one chaotic package. I recently read that moving is the second stressful occurrence in ones life, next to the death of a loved one.
The advantages of moving with Cooperate America is that they send movers into your home and virtually pack you up. The disadvantages are that you have three to five days to find a new home in an area that you have never been to before.
On moving day the final papers are signed the animals are crated and sedated in their containers. The larger animals are already on their way with professionals who transport large animals.
The big day has finally arrived.We are all changed into our traveling clothes. Next we sedate and drop off the animals at a special location at the airport. When boarding the airplane the atmosphere is filled with anticipation that all our children are settled in and that the animals will hopefully have a safe and peaceful ride. The dogs and cats are easily resting nicely in a compartment adjacent to our luggage. However, Lucy the goose could not be sedated. Upon our first stop the honking began. People were turning there heads and talking audible to the rest of the people in the plane. "Oh my gosh, is that a goose?" I finally fest up and resounded from the back of the cabin. The passengers seemed to be delighted with the experience of traveling with the boiseterous passenger. There was chuckling through out our travels.
By the time we arrived at our destination in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we hurried to gather our luggage and wait for for containers filled with our animals. The attendant that was unloading them was counting one, two, three dog crates and one, two, three cat crates. Upon the arrival of the seventh crate, he then paused and said, "Lady please tell me this is not yours too" "Please tell me this is your Christmas dinner?" I smiled and explained that she was a pet and that when we move, we are much like the Clampit's. Where we go, she goes. Lucy was happily resounding all the way through the entire airport. We had unknowingly become celebrities and were stopped by many delighted passers by.
To be continued...
C.A. Bresin

A Christmas Goose

2010-10-04T06:59:00.001-07:00

It was Fall in Oklahoma and a few of us from our neighboring church set out on a adventure to purchase live turkeys. A neighboring farmer had seen an article in the newspaper and we set out to this remote spot to experience the depths of what Thanksgiving was truly about. As average Americans, we take for grated the provision that is quickly purchased at the store. I had wanted our children to understand a part of the process that the early settlers had experienced and truly understand the gratefulness of the meaning of giving thanks.
We arrived at our remote destination to find some rather pathetic, under fed turkeys in a open fenced arena. A few geese were flapping aimlessly amongst them as the wranglers caught turkeys for their perspective customers. We each picked our bird and I decided to add a goose to my order.
We all traveled back to the farmers to begin the butchering process. As we opened the gullets we found that they had been fed ground up glass instead of grit. We had certainly run into some less than first class turkey farmers. I remember, one of the little boys that was observing went up to one of the Turkeys that was flapping after being butchered and was saying, "It's all right Mr. Turkey, it's all right. I then realized that I had to console him and told him that those were just the turkeys reflexes and that the turkey was instantaneously and humanly dead when the farmer cut his throat.
We were all busy plucking feathers, removing organs and cleaning the birds with fresh water. They were then wrapped and ready for our freezers. Amidst all the work, I noticed the farmer was going for my goose. After all the emotions of this day this city gal decided that this goose would remain a pet. The humorous state of affairs was that the goose was probably the only bird that had any fat on her. Needles to say, I took one look at her and Lucy the goose she became.
My husband has always allowed me to drag about any animal home. The truth of the matter is, he enjoys the animals about as much as I. It was no time at all that I would see him walking around with Lucy in his arms while feeding our chickens. This became a sort of ritual that Lucy would follow him around at feeding time waiting to be picked up and caressed.
Being a part of Cooperate America offers the advantages and disadvantages of moving across the United States. We had grown quite comfortable and considered the people in Oklahoma some of the friendliest people you will ever meet on the face of this earth. One evening, David came home from work to announce that a position had opened and that we would be moving to Pennsylvania. When ever these announcements took place, my heart would kick into gear as to every ones feelings but the larger task at hand was, how on earth would we get everything and everyone moved to another far away destination. For those of you who don't know us, we are much like the Clampits. When we move, we all move.
This is just a glimmer of the beginning of the future antics of Lucy the Goose. To be continued...
C.A. Bresin

Dreams That Will Last a Lifetime

2010-09-13T10:56:00.000-07:00

Each of these spotted wonders represents a place in the time line of my life. As I release each of them to a new home, I realize that this chapter in my life is closing. For us it has been filled with the joy of purchasing our first Jacobs to growing a sizable flock. I hold with in my heart the cherished memories of the unfolding excitement of learning how to skirt and tag a fleece, and the reality that all the excitement of this process was just removing poop and debris. Expanding my knowledge through professionals that shared their expertise with me to properly care for the health of God's creatures. Detesting the bitter Pennsylvania winters, only to find the delight of the miracle of birth with each of these spotted vivacious bundles. Learning each personality and place they hold within the flock. Exploring all the artistic possibilities that can be made with this lustrous fleece. Realizing the years of breeding to perfect from the rough and wiry Jacob fleece to a hand spinners delight. Enjoying the feasting and the provision of food for our table and times of fellowship and special moments. Always grateful to have been able to walk this path for the past nine years of my life. Cherishing that it is was never to long and seems cut so short. Holding on to the found memories that we will always cherish and pictures to bring those glorious days to the present. We have enjoyed, created, and cherished, dreams that will last a life time.
C.A. Bresin

The Arrival

2010-03-13T17:15:00.000-08:00

As the snow melts it's last white flake disappears into non existence. A new birth begins to unfold. It's this wonderful time of year when the season is beginning to break between winter and the rainy season. This all takes place just before the arrival of spring. It's as if a curtain is opened and a new season is stated picturesquely before your eyes. With each rain, I can see the green grass starting to come to life. The crocuses are barley peering through the flesh of the earth. There is that refreshing smell of distant rain that drifts through each breath of fresh air. The seeds are starting to bud for spring planting. The chickens are starting to graze through the new niblets of grass. A brown egg is found nestled deeply in a nesting box. The lambs arriving with their new breath of life and the playful bleating begins.
C.A. Bresin

The Gift

2009-07-27T03:16:00.000-07:00

I always looked forward to the time the rains would just subside. We lived directly adjacent to a wheat field in the open plains of Oklahoma. It was a regular event to sit on the front porch and watch the coyote; wolves and wild dogs cross the wheat field with their noses close the ground. As the mist and fog would settle they would cross the field and find there back into the trees and heavy thickets.
I had spent over two months in bed from a serious illness caused by a tick bite. I knew what it was like to be at deaths door and was still quite week. There was quite some time that I was not able to leave my bed. As I regained my strength, I would look out the window to gaze across the wheat field. One day after the rains had just subsided; I made my way out around the corner of the house. I saw a wild dog with his head down making his way to our chicken coop. There is something unexplainable about being on deaths door. There is this sense of peace and numbness to fear. I sat down and called out in a quiet voice. He turned and looked at me and I called again. Without hast he turned around slowly and came to me. I let him smell me as I would any dog. At first, we just sat in each other’s presence and then we silently exchanged helplessness. I could tell he sensed my spirit and I his. His steel blue eyes were like nothing I had ever encountered. I very carefully placed my hand on his thick wolf like coat. He drew closer. As I fingered through his coat, I could feel large ticks. He was so very sick from being depleted from what was sucking the life out of him. Just about that time, David came around the corner and laid his eyes on what was taking place. He stood still and told me that I was crazy. I reassured him that it was all right and that this animal needed our help. David got a tin can and we began pulling handfuls of these large ticks from this helpless creature. David had previously been inside cooking a chicken down for some chicken soup. He went inside, brought out the skin and some chicken, and placed it across the fence to lure our wild friend back to where he belonged. I will never forget the oneness of the encounter that I had been blessed with. His steel blue eyes and coarse coat is something I will always cherish. A gift from above that will never be forgotten. This encounter was another simple reminder that the animals followed us out of the Garden to teach us, unconditional love.
C.A. Bresin

Sky Blue Pink

2009-07-16T04:06:00.001-07:00

The entire block of kids were always together playing games, building forts or learning the newest dance step.
It is indelibly marked in my memory, the times we would all stand in line for a drink. We would yell out to see who would get what color of glass. You remember those metal or plastic colorful glasses that came in an array of different colors. The shouts began as we all tried to outdo each other to obtain the most popular color. The repetition repeated itself until the most unwanted color was left.
Time after time, my best friend Sally would shout out the color sky blue pink. We would become exasperated with her unknown choice. Sally would enthusiasticly explain to us that there was such a color. On one particular evening she exclaimed, "See, there it is in the sunset!" Sure enough, we all gazed at the beautiful display of vibrant pinks and blues.
Sally went home to be with our Heavenly Father. She and those happy child hood memories are remembered in each of those sky blue pink sunsets.

Sky Blue Pink
Sky blue pink is just a color
Found upon a sunset
Crystal blue and pink clouds laden
Shimmering with delight
For as you look upon this color
See what you may see
A gift of Gods wisdom
His promise of eternity…

C.A. Bresin

Jack

2009-05-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know us, we have the gift of taking in unwanted animals. They have meaning and purpose that is disguised in some of the greatest lessons, we can learn while on this earth. We often embrace these challenges, as if we are taking on some noble and righteous endeavor. The fact is time and time again, I walk away with the lesson learned.
Jack was a gentle giant a slow moving shepherd. For the on looker he just did not appear to be of correct conformation in any way. He was an Algernon or a Forest Gump of sorts. Jack not only taught me to sit with the sheep, but too sit beneath the sheep. He showed me how to close my eyes and listen to the gentle rumble of their feet, as they brushed by my side in the blackness of the night. He taught me how to feel their presence, to envelop their very existence. A true shepherd knows how to feel the depth of ones soul.
Noah Webster states that a shepherd is: A man, who herds, tends and guards his sheep. A man, who protects, guides or watches over a group of people. To shepherd the flock. To watch over carefully. To escort, guide or direct. To council spiritually. Jack added one of the greatest virtues, to love at all times.
Jack’s life was short. His body was not made to last a normal lifetime. His brain was damaged from birth and his legs could not stand for long. Even though some may view Jack as limited, his purpose far surpassed his outward ability.
C.A. Bresin

Flying Sheep

2009-05-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Flying Sheep
Marvelous the sight these flying sheep
I see each night when they leap
Into the barn to bed for the night
Leaping over my head, oh what a sight

Who would ever think of flying sheep?
It's a sight to behold
Oh, Jacob Sheep

Their spotted and horned
Up to at least six
Their quilted and patched
Only God could fix

Marvelous the sight these flying sheep
There mine to enjoy
But, His to keep...

C.A. Bresin

The Shepherd

2009-04-11T03:22:00.000-07:00

When walking in our fields with our sheep, I am often reminded, that He has risen and awaits our arrival.
The shepherd’s job is to feed, water, shelter, nurture, and protect his sheep. In many cases, the shepherd’s goal is not merely to keep the sheep safe and content; it is to prepare them for their life's purpose. How much richer will our experience be, if we cease those moments that we feel called by God to shepherd another. If we see beyond the temporary need for protection and nourishment and seize each occasion as an opportunity to prepare a child or adult not only for life, but for eternity. The Good Shepherd offers opportunities for us to come along side of those needing help and to lift them above the situation. It is unsettling to be caught in worldview when our mission is to keep our existence on our eternal home. If each moment of every day would be viewed in terms of how we are preparing for eternity, instead of what fleeting pleasure this world will offer us. Our spirit echos, how should we use our time differently?
Jesus is not only our Good Shepherd; He was also our sacrificial Lamb. He was never empowered by money or riches. He was never self seeking. He knew how to live in such a way that when death came, He was in complete surrender.
C.A. Bresin

Danny Boy and Donnalee

2009-03-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

We sat in the field and watched from a distance. The little ewe first began pushing while lying down. She would nervously dig, lie down and resume standing.This was a first time ewe. Within thirty- minutes, she delivered a ram lamb in the field.

After her delivery, she became so frightened that she left her newborn lamb and went with the rest of the flock. We quickly made our way to the lamb, scooped it up, toweled it off and took everyone to the barn. We caught the ewe and took her back to the jug area where she was isolated with her lamb from all the surrounding confusion. Her mothering instincts immediately kicked in. When we placed the lamb in front of her, she settled in and began to lick and clean it. She was busily cleaning off her new bundle of joy, as we watched a new set of contractions begin. The new lamb distracted her from much of her discomfort. She stood as we watched the head appear. I thought she might lie down at this point, but she kept focused on cleaning her first lamb. She had a several very strong contractions and we could hear her talking in a low rumble. She passed the shoulders and then with three more slight contractions, the baby slipped gently onto the ground. We immediately scurried in to remove the sack from the little lambs head and clear its mouth from fluid. The little lamb almost seemed lifeless until it re-gathered itself for its first breath of life. Then, with a quick shake of her head, she responded to life in a world outside her once confined existence. The thrill once again filled us, as we celebrated in the joy, of a miracle to vast to express.
C.A. Bresin

The Miricle of Birth

2009-01-22T05:32:00.000-08:00

Many people say, that winter is a time to slow down from the rush of spring and summer, and for most of those from the cold climate of Pennsylvania, this is true. However, when raising sheep the lambs come in the most frigid temperatures of February and March. Being raised in the hot desert climate of Arizona, I am quite comfortable experiencing the beauty of the large snowflakes falling, as I watch intently from the window in the warmth of our home.
God certainly knows exactly what he puts in the desires of our hearts. There is nothing that can make me enter the cold outdoors as the arrival of baby lambs. Lambing season always brings an air of excitement. Whenever the baby lambs arrive, I will be awakened to my husband David saying, “Honey, you’re a Mom again.” Daisey and I immediately get dressed; grab a bottle of iodine for the umbilical cord and a bucket of warm water with molasses for the mom. We approach the ewe and her lamb with care and iodine the umbilical cord and put a cozy woolover on the lamb, so it will not become hypothermic. Hypothermia is the leading cause of death in baby lambs. It is hard being born into a cold environment, after being isolated in the warm and safe surroundings that God has intrinsically provided. We then take the lamb in hand and coax the mom back to the jugs were she can have some time to bond with her lamb. We usually leave them in the jug for a few days. A jug is a temporary area where the ewe and her lamb can be isolated to bond and gain adequate nutrition. It is a nice time to get some much needed extra attention and nutrition before they are placed back with the flock. We place a bucket of warm water and a hardy spoon full of molasses in with the ewe for some added energy after she has labored and given birth. It is usually no time at all before she drinks a good bit of her bucket down. We always give an added treat of some nice alfalfa hay and grain for nourishment. We then leave her alone with her lamb and check back in an hour to see that she has dropped her placenta and began to nurse her lamb. If she has not eaten her placenta, we will dispose of it. We then take the lamb and check to see if its belly is full and weigh it for our records. If mom and lamb are doing well, it is just routine checking on food and water and keeping their pen clean before returning them to the flock in a few days.
It seems, I will never tire of the miracle of birth.
C.A. Bresin

Black and White

2009-01-08T03:42:00.000-08:00

We recently have seen in the news the two sets of twins born into a British family where one twin is black and the other is white. This incredible act of God is seen as some sort of miraculous mystery. I have to admit it may not seem normal to those that don’t live on the farm, but for some of us who have ventured into genetics, it can be easily duplicated. We have on several accounts taken a black ram and white ewe and produced one black offspring and one white offspring. This all goes back to the original writings of creation found in Genesis. When God created the animals, He put all the genetic information needed to accommodate the vast arrays of different breeds, we see to this very day.
When Noah was commanded by God to place two of every species onto the Ark nothing was lost. All the genetic information was intact, as it had been from the beginning of creation. What we see in retrospect is environmental adaptation and selective breeding altered by man. Incredible, because the hand of God has taken something and designed it with such simplicity and complexity all at the same time.
C.A. Bresin

Raspberry Sue

2008-11-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

Daisey entered the kitchen door in excitement.
"Mom,
there is a lamb frozen to the ground!" I quickly instructed her to get the lamb and bring it to the house. She was a bit fearful at first to pick up a dead lamb, but with a bit of hesitation did as she was told. As she arrived in the kitchen, I could see this little black lifeless lamb lying limp in her arms. Upon closer inspection, I could see a faint breath as it's chest would barely rise and fall. I really did not think this little lamb had much hope for survival. We said a prayer for help and guidance and got everything ready to stomach tube the lamb. We put the tube in the mixture of milk replacer so that the tube would be lubricated and slide down the little lambs throat with greater ease. I ever so gently guided it and it seemed to go down with out any pause. This was a good sign, that fluid did not go into the lamb’s lungs. I slowly added the replacer and the little lamb still lay listless in my arms. We covered the lamb with a warm blanket. There was not any response from the feeding or the warmth that we had given her body. I quickly made a long distance phone call to some veterinarians that deal strictly with sheep. I explained everything I had done. They told me to place the lamb in our sink with as warm of water, as my hands could stand. My heart was racing, as I prayed for God to guide me, in what seemed to be the impossible. As I cradled this little lifeless lamb in a sink of hot water, I began to feel a heart beat. The heart rate became stronger and stronger. Her little eyes opened and our excitement filled the room. This was unbelievably. It was much like seeing Lazarus raised from the dead. We toweled her dry and placed a Woolover on her for extra warmth. As Daisey was holding the lamb, her eyes stared ahead at a box of raspberry tea. With a sudden burst, Daisey announced that the lamb should be named Raspberry Sue. We placed Raspberry down in a box and scheduled her feedings around the clock. She most definitely viewed us as her mom. She grew to see herself as one of the household. One morning, I awoke to feed her and did not find Raspberry in her box. I glanced around and found that she had decided on a much more comfortable accommodations for her bed. This is only the start of the many adventures of Raspberry Sue……………
C.A. Bresin

Flying Upward With a Flock of Geese

2008-10-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona my world was limited to saguaro cactus, rattlesnakes, and black widow spiders. I was familiar with life in the desert. They call it, The Land of the Sun. As we moved across the United States, my horizons expanded to a new vision of wild life. The concrete city life was replaced with open fields. Wild life can be easily seen from my front door. I will never forget the first time; I heard a flock of geese fly over our home. I immediately stopped everything I was doing, called the kids and ran outdoors. We sat in the front yard and watched them fly low over our heads in a V-formation. The incredible honking noise filled the atmosphere. We watched as they traded who would take the lead. It was not until some time later, that I was given this wonderful scientific analogy. C.A. Bresin

” Lessons from the Geese.”
As each goose flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.
When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.
It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.
The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.
When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
I still find myself mesmerized as the geese fly overhead. Those close to me have heard me say, that when I go to heaven, I imagine being taken up holding onto their wings and flying upward with a flock of geese.

Dr Robert McNeish of Baltimore wrote "Lessons from the Geese", in 1972. Dr. McNeish, was a science teacher for many years, before he wrote” Lessons from the Geese” for a sermon he delivered in his church.

2008-10-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to say thank you - Donka

2008-10-17T18:41:00.001-07:00

This past Spring, we purchased ten Indian Runner Ducks. They waddle in an upright position and are whimsical to watch. Indian Runner Ducks can lay up to 300 eggs in a year, but they are not great setters. This being their first season and with the cold weather beginning to approach, I have just begun collecting eggs that they leave all around the pond. Well, my husband had a different idea and placed a couple of eggs under one of our little Bantam Cochin crosses. We marked the calendar for 28 days and began our vigilant watch. One morning after Daisey came in from doing barn chores, I noticed she had something in her hands. She had this little coco brown duckling nestled close to her body. She was carefully keeping it safe and warm. These little upright ducks have a nature of bowing their heads over and over again . It is absolutely comical to watch. After watching the little bow, my mind flashed to the German lady in the Sound of Music. She bowed over and over again to stall the Nazi's during the VonTrapps final performance. That's it, Donka!! Donka means, thank you in German. I could envision the little duck bowing over and over again and saying, thank you, thank you, thank you. So Donka Duck it is. Thank you Lord for sharing the wonders of your creation, in even the smallest blessings of your handy work.
C.A. Bresin

Let Us Rejoice and be Glad

2008-10-17T04:56:00.000-07:00

After watching our resident Bald Eagle return and carefully to watch our fields for her source of food. I began to entertain the idea of purchasing a guardian llama. My quest for obtaining a llama began. After the purchase of our first llama Annalia, I received a phone call from our 4-H county extension office saying, that they had a call about a llama that was being housed in a horse trailer. The next question followed, did I want to go rescue him? My first response was no. I was so proud of myself, because it was a firm no. I hung up the phone and all was well. That night, I tossed and turned and could not get a wink of sleep. I envisioned this llama enclosed in a horse trailer and could not bare the thought any more. When morning finally came, I asked my husband if we could go get this llama. In the back of my mind, I really believed his answer would not be positive. To my surprise, he gave me the go ahead and we were off to meet the young fellow. As we pulled up, I spotted the trailer and inside was a very frightened and undernourished llama. We were dealing with horse traders that made part of their living going to sale barns and purchasing animals and turning them for a profit. We listened to the usual story of how they were going to loose money on this deal. After exchanging some conversation, we were able to get them down another fifty dollars and the llama would be delivered to our farm. Under the mass of fluffy white fleece was a very bony, undernourished llama that had not seen any grain for quite some time. I needed to fatten him slowly or passers by would think, I was the one not feeding him. We named him Hava which means, let us rejoice and be glad in Hebrew. Truthfully, I think we were both rejoicing to our Lord. Hava was delighted to run in an open field and our hearts were filled, that we had rescued him from a life of despair. Hava certainly came with some issues of trust, as he had been man handled. We moved slowly and sang songs to him at night. To this day Hava hates his head being touched in any fashion, but he has returned the favor ten fold by being one of the best guard llamas that could ever be imagined. He watches his flock with the utmost of care and will react if he thinks, we are in harms way. It's certainly true, you get back what you give. We have treated Hava with love and respect and in return he has become the king of our fields. Let us rejoice and glad for this is the day that the Lord has made...
C.A. Bresin

Our Resident Bald Eagle

2008-10-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Today was filled with the rush of trying to complete farm chores before winters arrival. My daughter Daisey and I gave the chicken-coop a complete cleaning. We scraped every corner and put down a nice thick layer of fresh sawdust. On our way through the field, Daisey spotted a Bald Eagle perched in one of our trees that lines the far pasture. What an incredible site! Daisey ran for her camera and returned in time to find the eagle still nicely perched on one of the high branches. She continued to snap photos as she walked down the field to get closer. The Bald Eagle took flight. We watched as she returned to her nest along the creek.
A few years ago our resident Bald Eagle visited us. I was quite certain she had her eye on our free range chickens. It wasn't long after her visit that I read an article by a fellow shepherd who said, they find the remains of baby lambs in their nests. Every Spring our fields are filled with black and white spotted Jacob lambs. I fully understand and respect the food chain, but there are some emotional ties to my critters. This put me on another venture to obtain a guard llama.
To be continued...
C.A. Bresin

Intricately Designed

2008-10-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my world
10/15/08
I can’t help but drink in all the beauty that God has provided. I have often said, we have to be rich to live poor in this day. Many of us have become aware that the simple pleasures that our grandparents once lived are being encroached upon. With these pleasures, come hard work and an ever increasing knowledge to continually learn how to maintain our plain existence. I longed to live my roots while growing up in the muddle of the city life so filled with world view. Moving away from the city was a first step. Filling my soul with Gods word has provided the necessities of truth. In my business of daily tasks, I am reminded to pause and look at the beauty of Gods creation. I guess, I will never tire of the sheer pleasure of collecting chicken eggs. After twenty plus years, I still marvel at reaching under a chicken and pulling out a nice warm freshly laid egg. How beautiful these large pearls are, that sustain and nourish our bodies. I often feel sad for those that don’t’ pause to bask in the glory of the smallest of Gods creation. I thank God for filling my heart and soul with these simple rewards, that others may never know. How can one deny a God that has so intricately designed life.
C.A. Bresin

Cheryl's Egg Casserole
Ingredients
10 farm fresh eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup flour
3/4 tsp.baking soda
10 0z. sausage of choice
1/2 pound of farmers cheese or cheese of choice
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 small can of diced green chillies
Desired amount of fresh mushrooms
Season to taste. A little garlic, a little salt, a little black pepper and some cayenne for your heart.

Directions
Saute' sausage, green chilies and mushrooms
Blend eggs, flour, and baking powder
Add sausage, cheese, cottage cheese and mushrooms to the egg mixture and combine thoroughly.
Pour into greased 13x9 glass baking dish
This recipe can be easily doubled
Preheat oven 375*
Bake for 30-35 minutes. Yields 5 generous servings
C. A. Bresin