Category: agriculture

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 5: Flowers

CarolynCares Roses

You’ve heard the phrase, “Take the time to stop and smell the roses”, right? How many of us actually stop to admire flowers when rushing from one commitment to another?

I am so thankful for the huge variety in flowers that we are able to enjoy. As much as they annoy me, even Dandelions can be beautiful when looked at through a macro lens. The thing is, you need to stop long enough to see the beauty. Kind of like other areas in our lives. If we keep rushing around with our heads down, we miss out on the beauty that surrounds us. If you are feeling a little bit down, a bouquet of flowers can cheer you up. They come in so many colors, shapes, and sizes. You don’t have to spend a fortune to add a little sunshine to your dining table, or your cubicle. Jonathan will buy the little $5 bundles from the grocery store when I’ve had a tough day, and I love them!

My challenge to you this week, is to take a look at things from a different perspective. Stop and look around at the fall decorations, the mums in flower gardens, the brilliant blue of the fall skies, the people in your office. Find the beauty. Your life will be richer for it.

Follow along with other 30 Day Challenge Bloggers by heading over to Holly Spangler’s blog. She keeps an updated list of participating blogs.

Introduction to the 30 Day Challenge

Day 1: Family

Day 2: Harvest

Day 3: Music

Day 4: Bacon

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 4: Bacon

CarolynCares Bacon

I love bacon! It is so versatile. It enhances many foods, and is good all by itself. I am very thankful to whomever invented this delicious cure for pork.

There’s things like

  • Bacon and Eggs
  • Cheddar Bacon Corn Chowder
  • Bacon Quiche
  • Bacon Cheeseburgers
  • Filet Mignon
  • Bacon wrapped Shrimp
  • Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwiches
  • Marshall Salad with Bacon
  • Broccoli Salad with Bacon
  • Pancakes and Bacon
  • Maple Bacon Scones
  • Candied Bacon
  • Chocolate Covered Bacon
  • Bacon wrapped Dates
  • Bacon Slaw
  • Bacon Pizza
  • Bacon Brittle
  • Bacon wrapped Asparagus
  • Bacon Mac and Cheese
  • Bacon Potato Salad
  • Potato Soup with Bacon
  • Maple Ice Cream with Candied Bacon
  • Egg Bake with Bacon
  • Bacon Mashed Potatoes
  • Split Pea and Bacon Soup
  • Bacon, Chive, and Cheddar Biscuits
  • Tomato Bacon Pasta
  • Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
  • Bacon wrapped Trout
  • Bacon wrapped Chicken
  • Spinach and Bacon Frittata
  • Green Beans and Bacon

I could go on, but my mouth is watering uncontrollably right now! Many of the items listed have recipes on the internet that you can easily find. Not sure what kind of bacon to buy, or how to prepare it without a mess? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

When you have a recipe that calls for bacon, you can buy your favorite kind unless the type is specified (Canadian Bacon or Pancetta, for example). Our favorite is a thick cut bacon that we get from our butcher. We raise pigs, and take pigs from our barn to butcher, so we are able to dictate how we would like ours cut. Some people like a medium cut bacon (the most common type found in a grocery store), or thin cut when making recipes that call for wrapping with bacon. The thick cut may be difficult to wrap around a date or asparagus spear. Sweeter dishes pair well with maple flavored bacon.

The easiest way to prepare bacon is in your oven. There is no mess on your stove top, and if you have a large jellyroll pan (half sheet size), you can fit an entire package on the one pan.

Line your pan with foil, making sure the foil is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of your pan. If you have to splice it, make sure you fold the seam together to eliminate grease from seeping through. It makes for easier clean up. Separate the bacon and lay it in a single layer on the foil.

Bacon on Foil Lined Pan
Bacon on Foil Lined Pan

I put the pan in a cold oven, and heat it to 425 degrees. I use my convection setting for this. After the oven has reached full temperature, I check the bacon after 10 minutes. The closer it gets to your preferred doneness, the more frequent you will need to check it. For some recipes, I cook the bacon to the “floppy” stage, meaning there is still flexibility in the meat. For others, I cook it until it is a bit darker, and crumbles easily after it has cooled.

Mmmm Bacon
Mmmm Bacon

Remove the bacon from the pan, and let it drain on a paper towel lined plate. When the pan and foil have cooled, carefully roll the foil into a ball to contain the grease, and toss. If you like to save your bacon grease, you can easily make a funnel type lip with the foil to help pour it into your grease container.

I think I am going to make Bacon Mac and Cheese with the extra bacon I cooked up for the bacon cheeseburgers I grilled for our Sunday dinner…or maybe I should make the Cheddar Bacon Corn Chowder…I wonder how many times I can say bacon in one sentence…bacon.

To follow other 30 Day Challenge Bloggers, head on over to Holly Spangler’s blog to find links to the current participants.

Introduction to the 30 Day Challenge

Day 1: Family

Day 2: Harvest

Day 3: Music

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 3: Music

CarolynCares Music

I love all types of music. If you look at my Pandora stations, or my list on Sirius Satellite in my van, you would probably raise your eyebrows, or shake your head. Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, the 60’s thru 80’s, Eagles, Beatles are all on my favorites. I also like a bit of Reliant K, Chris LaDoux, Beethoven, and Bach. There is something about the music that calms me when I’m feeling stressed, or gets me moving when I am cleaning.

Music is supposed to be a universal language, yet it is very personal.  There have been many Sundays when the lyrics and harmonies of a hymn have left me misty eyed, yet others around me are dry eyed. Of course, it may just be that I am a little more sappy than most.

I love to sing in our church choir. It is such a fun group. When you live in a small town, chances are good that you will see or interact with other members of the group outside of church. I sing in the tenor section with the husband of Jonathan’s kindergarten teacher, and with our former Postmaster, Linda. Yes, our section of three is two-thirds female. I took the place of another female after she lost her battle with cancer. Other members of the choir include our former mail man, Jonathan’s kindergarten teacher, Jonathan’s sister Sally, our chiropractor, the widow of my father-in-law’s barber, and many friends. We are led by Anna’s piano teacher, who is also our Pastoral Assistant, organist, and most importantly, friend. To sing with these people who have become like family is truly magical.

The violin in the photo is mine. Well, technically, it is my sister’s, but when I moved to a full sized violin, she had just graduated from high school, so it was handed down to me. I started playing in 5th grade, and chose the violin in part because Sheryl played. My first violin solo was at her wedding. I was still in high school, and I was also a bridesmaid. I’m not sure which role I was more nervous about! I still play at weddings, for church, and with the choir when needed. My favorite music has to be hymn arrangements and Christmas arrangements. I love traditional wedding music, but I have had the opportunity to play some really unique pieces that forced me out of my comfort zone. It is always an honor to be able to play with so many talented musicians whose goal is always to bring the bride’s vision to life. I am thankful for the mentors who have worked with me when I’ve struggled to get the music right. I really need to thank Gwen, especially. She has been so patient with me at times!

I am so thankful for the gift of music. I’m not referring to my talents (which, in all reality, are mediocre), but I am referring to the gifts that composers and performers have shared with us. Whether it is a catchy tune to listen to while working, or a sweet hymn sung with many others in your congregation, I am thankful for it all.

Let me leave you with one of my favorite hymns, in one of my favorite arrangements:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdRSRTqOyi4

To find more 30 Day Challenge blogs, click here.

Introduction to the 30 Day Challenge

Day 1: Family

Day 2: Harvest

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 2: Harvest

CarolynCares Harvest Home

We are very thankful that we wrapped up harvest for 2013 on November 1st. This year was a tough corn harvest for us. We had a wind storm in September that blew down quite a bit of corn. We were more fortunate than some of our neighbors, and less fortunate than others. By the final day, we were down to a few acres of corn that just didn’t want to go through the combine. In spite of the annoyances that corn harvest brought, we are so thankful that the harvest was brought safely home.

Be sure to follow Holly Spangler, and the rest of the 30 Day Bloggers by clicking here.

Introduction to 30 Day Challenge

Day 1: Family

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 1: Family

CarolynCares Family Blessing

The best decision I ever made, was to accompany my college friend on a night with her cousin and his friend. Her cousin was coming up to our small Christian college in the Twin Cities to introduce her to his friend. She was uncomfortable hanging out with two boys, even though one was a relative. Her solution was to invite me to tag along, since I pretty much had no social life. (Small campus, and I was quite shy at the time. Really!) My instructions were that if she liked her cousin’s friend, then I could hang out with her cousin. If she didn’t get along with him, than I could hang out with him. Either way, we all would have fun.

The night arrived, and I met both of these college guys for the first time. We started with small talk, then went for a walk around campus. I’m not really sure how my friend’s evening went with her cousin’s friend. I really didn’t care. Her cousin and I hit it off immediately.

Jonathan and I have now been married for 25 years. It hasn’t been easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. When we were first married, and we moved into a tiny house on a gravel road in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, I had a bit of culture shock. If you have read the book, “How To Talk Minnesotan”, you would understand that moving to Southwest Minnesota was like moving to another state. Being three hours away from my family, friends, and church family, I was very dependent on Jonathan as a spouse and as a friend. We did a lot of growing up in the first few years of our marriage.

Jonathan is the calm one in our marriage. I am so thankful for his patience in teaching me how to run farm equipment, and for believing in me when I was sure I would fail miserably. After 25 years, that hasn’t changed a bit. I still hate not being perfect on the first try when I’m working outside with him. I like to worry and fret and get my undies all in a bundle. He reminds me that all we have are blessings from God. We can’t worry about what the weather is doing, if we have a breakdown, if the crops are not yielding as expected, or if the Vikings defense isn’t stopping the opponent on 3rd downs. He loves me unconditionally. That is the best gift!

We have three beautiful daughters, who bring such joy to our lives. I love when we are all together. Mealtimes bring laughter, jokes, and bad puns. The girls all have their own interests, yet they enjoy getting together as sisters and as friends. I am so thankful for each one of them. They make me a better person.

I am so thankful for this family of mine! We may be a bit nutty, we may get the giggles in church, and we may be a bit loud at times, but that is exactly how I like it.

Introduction to the 30 Day Challenge

Follow along with Holly Spangler here, and the rest of the 30 Day Bloggers below.

30 Day Blog Challenge

I’m jumping onto the 30 Day Blog Challenge, where I will blog every day in the month of November. The theme will be a take off of my Facebook tradition of 30 Days of Thanksgiving, writing everyday about what I am thankful for. Some days it will be agriculture related, some days it will be family related, and there will probably be a day or two when I am most thankful for a mug of hot coffee.

You can join in the fun if you are an agriculture blogger by reading this post. If you are not an ag blogger, but want to join in on the 30 Days of Thanksgiving fun, please do! I’d love to read your posts!

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” -Denis Waitley

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

 

Agriculture is Not One Size Fits All

We all like things neat and tidy. We want everything to fit into the box we see as ideal. Our perceptions as to what is right, true, and good are shaped by our experiences and the people around us. Funny thing is, even those who have grown up in the same family have very different opinions on how they do things.

There are 5 kids in my family. Three of us have three children. Even though we were raised the same way in the same house, we parent very differently.   We all remember family things differently. What sticks out in my sister’s mind as a significant event, I may have totally forgotten about. We each see the same things in a different manner.

When Jonathan and I went on our first date, I can remember what I wore, but I can never remember where we went to eat. Jonathan has a great memory for the details & places of significance in our relationship, but I tend to remember the emotions. It’s part of what makes us work together well. We can help to fill in each other’s gaps.

What does this have to do with agriculture? Everything. We each bring our unique perspectives to our farms and ranches. We have certain ways we like to do things, for reasons we probably cannot explain. Does that make me wrong if I do something a different way than you do? Absolutely not. The diversity in agriculture helps to fill in the gaps. We can’t all grow cotton or rice or soybeans or tomatoes. Consumers are asking for choices, and we have the ability to provide that.

We farm our crops organically. We like the process. The management, the record keeping, the constant assessments in the field, the soil management, the relationships with our buyers – we like it all. It suits our land, and it suits our personalities.  Neither one of us thinks that everyone would be good at organic farming. We’re okay with that. We just want the opportunity to be the best organic farmers we can be. If your passion is raising cow/calf pairs in South Dakota, that’s awesome. Be the best rancher you can be. If your passion is raising vegetables and running a CSA, more power to you. It’s not where my passion lies, but I’m glad it’s yours – especially when I want a BLT.

The point is, agriculture is not a one size fits all you have to do it this way everything is black and white industry. Find your passion, and run with it. Just remember, my passion is going to be different from yours, and that’s okay. Just concentrate on being the best you can be in whatever you choose to do. Everyone should be given that opportunity.

Related posts:

Who Am I To Judge – For Farmers and Consumers

What Does it Mean to Love Our Neighbor?

Throwback Thursday – One Year Ago

Snowy morning Oct 25, 2013
Snowy morning Oct 25, 2013

We are very thankful that field work was pretty much all wrapped up by this time last year. Jonathan and Laura were busy preparing to leave for a mission trip to Tanzania six days after this photo was taken.

This year, we are counting our blessings. We are thankful for each successful day – no one hurt, and corn coming out of the fields. The farmers and ranchers who have been impacted by early snows are on our minds and in our hearts.

If you would like to learn more about the plight of our neighbors to the west, head on over to the AgChat Foundation’s Razoo page.