HippieMommy

always learning

Farm life and loss

by Leave a Comment

In our 4 years at the farm, we’ve definitely experienced loss, but today we’re experiencing something a little different. I just sold one of our animals for the first time, and I’m surprised by how similar the emotions are.

When we moved to the farm, we knew there would be losses. We inherited a flock of 15 chickens with the house, and they had dealt with recent deaths due to predators and poor health. On top of that, they had too many roosters for the flock size, so one of the first things that I googled was “what to do with extra roosters”. When I scrolled down and saw an article about a “killing cone”, Joe and looked at each other, wide-eyed, like “OMG. What are we getting ourselves into?!”

Once we moved in, we greatly reinforced the existing coop, bought a new (far more secure) coop, and then eventually built the giant coop/run that we now have. We managed to give away the spare rooster to the neighbors, so no killing cone was needed. Still, there have been deaths. Most were due to old age, but we’ve had a few losses due to predators too, and each one has been very sad.

Since we’ve dealt with these kinds of losses, I didn’t expect such sad feelings when I sold one of our llamas today. The reality is that we only wanted 1 llama for guarding, but we ended up with 2 because the llama that we loved also had a nursling, and it seemed wrong to separate them. Now that nursling is bigger than her mama, 3 years old, and ready to move to a flock of her own. Still, it’s hard!

I’m a member of a Shetland sheep Facebook group, and the topic recently came up about selling your sheep. I felt a bit relieved to see so many responses about feeling really sad when they go, even when it’s the right decision. One member said that they just try to remember how happy they were when they first brought home their sheep, and they remind themselves that they’re giving that feeling to someone else.

And on that note, the silver lining…. With one less (GIANT) grass eater, we’re starting to make room for lambing again next Spring. We have a few sheep to sell (that’s going to be even more sad!) but then we’ll be ready to welcome new life as well. (Bouncing baby lambs!) I guess this is just how the world works, isn’t it? There is death and loss… and there is new life and fresh beginnings. <3

Pin It

Late summer days

by Leave a Comment





As summer comes to a close, I thought I’d share a few scenes from our recent days. We’ve been canning, harvesting, spinning, bread making, and just trying to soak up the final bits of summer. I’m running another 50K race at the end of the month so I’ve been getting lots of time on the trails. I’ve made up big batches of bread and butter pickles, dilly beans (the ones above were just settling before I took the lids off) and tomato sauce. I’m working hard to get through this year’s wool and knitting up a storm.

This time of year is always bittersweet for me as the days get shorter and the leaves start to turn. Each year seems to pass faster than the one before it. Still, I’m loving all of the bounty and how green everything is. I’m enjoying every single run where I don’t have to be bundled up, knowing that soon I’ll be wearing 3 mittens on each hand. 😉

I hope that these harvest days are treating you well and you’re soaking up the sun! <3

Pin It

Race Report – Elk Meadow Winter Trail Race

by Leave a Comment

Race: Elk Meadow Winter Trail Race
Location: Evergreen, Colorado
Gear:
Skirt Sports Go the Distance Tight (Stargaze print)
Old Navy Go Dry Funnelneck shirt
Brooks LSD Thermal Vest
Brooks Cascadia Trail shoes
Kahtoola MICROspikes
Skirt Sports Technical Trucker
Ultimate Direction Ultra Vest

It has been almost 3 months since my last trail race, and I’ve really missed it! After my 50-miler, I needed a break. I feel like I’ve finally recovered, and it is nice to feel like I’m back in the groove. 🙂

The race start

The Elk Meadow Winter Trail Race is produced by the same group that does the Fear The Deer Half Marathon. I had no previous experience with them, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

The communication leading up to the race was great, including detailed trail conditions and lots of reminders. A couple of details changed in the weeks/months leading up to the race. They initially advertised a beanie, but instead decided to give out a race shirt. The start time also changed. I didn’t mind the changes, although I do love a good beanie, since I have a million race shirts. 😉

Packet pickup was smooth and easy. It was hosted at Boone Mountain Sports, and they offered a generous discount to race-goers. The pre-race emails mentioned that the first 15 full cars could get premium parking spaces, so we all crammed into Joy’s SUV and made sure to arrive nice and early.

The initial climb - taking it very seriously ;)
The initial climb – taking it very seriously

The weather was clear and cool. My phone said it was 15 degrees (with a “feels like” temp of 5) when we started. Luckily this race starts with an uphill climb, so that helps you to warm up quickly. 😉

When it was time for the race to start, we were given a few brief instructions. There were no aid stations on the course, but there were photographers along the way. They explained that the first 3 miles would be uphill, and that they’d be pulling you off of the course if you couldn’t finish them in 50 minutes. I’m honestly not sure how they would’ve pulled you off of the course, since the trails were open to the public as well as racers. I’m guessing that you could’ve just taken off your bib and kept going. They also mentioned that there was a 2.5 hour cutoff for finishing, but it sounded to me like it wouldn’t really be enforced if you made the 3-mile cutoff.

fullsizeoutput_15fd
Elevation profile (miles 3-5 were tough!)

The race started like most trail races. It was basically single-file, and the pace was really comfortable. We had no problem getting to the 3-mile cutoff with plenty of time. The conditions, however, might’ve been tough if you weren’t used to running in snow/at altitude or didn’t have the proper gear. The trail climbs gradually over the first 3 miles, and then gets much more steep.

The course was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. The views were amazing, and it seemed extra magical with the snow everywhere. I’d run these trails before (during the Bergen Peak Half Marathon), but in reverse. It was fun to see them from a different angle and in such different conditions. I remembered the trails as being a bit rocky, but also covered in pine needles. I’d twisted my ankle pretty badly during the Bergen Peak Half, so I was extra cautious this time. The snow made it so it was very hard to tell if you were going to land on a rock or on a soft surface. Everyone in my group was wearing traction (I use Kahtoola MICROspikes), but the snow was soft enough in many areas that we didn’t need them. As always happens with spikes, we gathered some pretty impressive snowballs on the bottoms of our feet, but that’s still way better than slipping on ice.

Colorado is so pretty!

We nearly missed several of the turns along the course. Luckily there were a few volunteers who pointed us in the right direction. It seems like they removed the signs before we reached them… or maybe we just didn’t look in the right place. Either way, we definitely weren’t the only ones who struggled. We were told that the early leaders took at least 2 wrong turns during the race (one that gave extra miles and another that shaved some off), and we ultimately took one wrong turn at the end that shortened the course. This was acknowledged in a Facebook post from the race directors, and they took full responsibility. Mistakes happen, and sometimes it is hard to know where to put signs, especially in the snow. I trust that they’ll do a better job with that the next time.

All in all, I really enjoyed this race. The short course wasn’t a deal breaker for me, and the trails were gorgeous. I would happily run this race again or run another race put on by the same people. I understand that sometimes mistakes happen, but they’ve been really responsive and open with communication, and that’s what matters the most.

For anyone interested, here’s a short video from the course 🙂

Pin It

Spring on the farm

by Leave a Comment

I know, I know… It is still winter, but it is almost feeling like Spring around here. 🙂 Colorado has a weird way of teasing you. Today it is 80 degrees out, but tomorrow we’re expecting snow.

fullsizeoutput_15e5
PeanutButter and Laurel

Still, here on the farm, we’re in full “Spring” mode. We’re clearing the garden and getting it ready, growing veggie and dye plants under lights in our sunroom, our sheep are pregnant(!), and plans have been made for incubating our Spring chicks.

Our rented ram, PeanutButter, just went back to his home after 2 months here on the farm. He is less than a year old, but he approached his job as a stud with MUCH enthusiasm. For the first few weeks, he hardly ate or slept because he was so focused on his task. Once his work was done, PeanutButter calmed down and spent lots of time in the pasture snuggling with the ewes and hanging out with our guard llamas. He learned that he really loves to be scratched, and the kids were so sad to have to send him home.

IMG_1214
Some of my finished objects and WIPs for this year

Now that PeanutButter is gone, things are a little quieter around here. I’ve been working on decluttering a bit. As I organized my craft supplies, I realized that I had an embarrassing number of knitting WIPs on my needles. Now I am trying to clear at least one project off of my needles each week. So far I’m keeping up with my goal, which feels awesome. I’ve also cast on a bunch of new stuff, but we won’t talk about that for now. 😉

Finally, I’m getting back into the swing of training for my races this year. After finishing a 50-miler in December, I lost my running mojo for a while. Although I felt better than expected after the race, I just needed a mental break. The long hours of training in the months leading up to the race had left me a bit burnt out, and I needed to rediscover my love of running.

Now that it has been 2 months, I’m ready to get back into the groove of training. I signed up to run Leadville again, and my official workouts started on the 1st of February. My training runs have felt awesome, and it is so nice to have a fresh start.

In everything, I’m really enjoying the shift of seasons. The quiet that came in the darkest months, and the new growth that is starting as Spring draws nearer.

Pin It

Getting Your Family to Eat More Vegetables

by 1 Comment

There is one thing that almost every diet (vegan, paleo, Mediterranean, traditional Chinese, Ayurvedic…) agrees upon:

We should all be eating more vegetables!

As a busy mom, I understand that veggies can take extra prep work and have longer cooking times than other side dishes. On top of that, I think every mom has felt the pain of working hard to prepare a new veggie, only to have everyone pass on it and for it to end up in the trash. I am going to share what I’ve learned about getting veggies cooked efficiently, on the table, and used up by the end of the week.

The vegetable “crisper” is a graveyard for produce

If I just put my veggies in the crisper drawer, probably 50% of them end up going straight to the compost bin at the end of the week. That is why, if possible, I need to prepare my veggies BEFORE they go into the fridge. I looked up the numbers, and my experience is not unusual. Estimates are that half of our fresh produce ends up thrown away. That’s a pretty sad number. We put a lot of resources into growing food, so I’d much rather have it go in my belly!

Produce tastes best when it is cooked fresh

It wasn’t until I started reading An Everlasting Meal that I considered how much better my produce tasted when I prepared it the same day that I brought it home. The beautiful carrots from the farmers’ market were limp and soggy after just a few days in the fridge. However, if I came home and roasted them, we could eat them that day or reheat them sometime over the next few days. They tasted even better after being roasted, and the texture was still just as great as if I’d eaten them the first day.

Preparing and cooking in batches saves time and energy

Sitting down and peeling squash or chopping broccoli can be a pain, especially if it is the only thing I’m cutting. If I, instead, cut and roast all of my veggies at the same time, I am able to save both my own energy (less clean up and time spent throughout the week) and household energy (from only running the oven once for all of my veggies.)

My Veggie Prep Routine

The first thing that I do is preheat my oven to 375, and prepare my veggies to roast. Pretty much everything gets diced up, tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper before I cook it. Then I sprinkle on any other herbs that I want.

I like to group my veggies by the size/shape that I cut them, and then I roast them together. That helps keep the cooking times similar.

This week I had parsnips and celeriac, which I cut into sticks and roasted together in a pan. I also had a big batch of carrots, which I coined and roasted in a second pan. Then I had a romanesco and broccoli, which seemed to work well in a pan together, so they were my third pan. I also had leeks and potatoes, which I diced up and roasted in a fourth pan. These four pans all fit in my oven at once, and were all happy at the same temperature. I threw in whole sweet potatoes that I had as well, and my oven was pleasantly full. About an hour later, I had veggies ready to go for the week.

While all of my roasted veggies are cooking, I wash, chop, and put my greens in a container. Having my greens already washed and chopped means that I am SO much more likely to use them throughout the week. For a long time, I bought bagged greens, because I found that I was more likely to make a salad, toss them in a soup, or whip them into a smoothie if I had them ready to go. Now I do that for myself, and the taste is so much fresher than the bags at the store.

By the time my veggies come out of the oven, I can have the kitchen cleaned up and the bulk of my work done for the week. I love that. I toss the finished veggies in mason jars, and I am good to go!

Having veggies prepared means you eat more of them

I am a homeschooling mom to four kids, and we have a full schedule. If I have food ready to go in the fridge, it is easy to reheat what I have and make a healthy lunch. If I don’t, it is far more likely to be a day of gluten-free sandwiches and fruit…. maybe with a pre-made Trader Joe’s salad, if I had the forethought to buy one.

On the other hand, if I have veggies already made, I can pretty much guarantee that we will eat them with every meal. You don’t even need to heat them up. They make excellent salads at room temperature, and can easily be tossed in anything from eggs to rice or noodles to make for an instant meal.

Near the end of the week, I simply take the vegetables that I haven’t used, and toss them in a soup. Sometimes I make smooth soups. Other times I just add them to stock, throw in some kind of meat, and let it all simmer together. Herbs make anything better, so I just experiment and see what happens. Homemade stock is obviously great to have around, but sometimes I cheat and use organic vegetable broth cubes. They are good in a pinch, when my soup needs just a little more flavor.

Kids eat food they see often

I had a revelation when I read French Kids Eat Everything, I considered the culture of food in our house. The truth is that we hadn’t done a great job at making new foods exciting (as opposed to scary) and we didn’t offer them nearly enough times before we gave up. Research indicates that you need to offer a food up to 15 times before you expect a child to eat it. Having vegetables around, all of the time, is one of the keys to getting kids to try them and eat them. They need to see you eating and enjoying them.

I Want to Hear From You!

Which time-saving meal prep tips have helped you? I am always looking for new inspiration as I strive to make our family as healthy as possible! 🙂

Pin It

5 Ways to Stay Healthy in Cold Weather

by 2 Comments

This week, as arctic air grips the nation, we are all trying to find ways to stay warm and healthy. In traditional cultures, especially Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda, much importance was placed on maintaining balance in your body. When it is cold outside, it is especially important to keep your body warm. With a few small changes, you can make a big difference.

Avoid Cold Drinks

When you drink something cold, your body has to spend a lot of extra energy bringing it up to a usable temperature. In TCM, they use the mental image of your digestion being like a fire. Drinking or eating something cold is like throwing cold water into a hot pan. It creates a bunch of steam and requires a large amount of energy for the pan to become warm again. That’s not a good thing when you’re trying to keep your body functioning at its best.

Instead of iced drinks, consider drinking your water warm or at room temperature. Better yet, make some nourishing herbal infusions, and warm your body while also giving it tons of vitamins and minerals!

Avoid Raw Fruits and Vegetables

I know. This one can be shocking at first. January is a time when Americans LOVE to start juice fasts, raw food diets, and all sorts of cold-natured eating plans. However, when you look at what people traditionally ate during the winter, it is warming food that is easy to break down. These foods help nourish your body through the cold months.

Instead of eating your veggies raw, lightly stir fry them. If you are in the mood for fruit, try baking or simmering it. I like to chop up apples, throw in pumpkin pie spice and a little water, and simmer it together on the stove until the apples are soft. From there, you can eat it as-is, or mash it up a little and serve it like applesauce.

Eat Warm Stews and Slow-Cooked Foods

When fall arrives, we naturally seem to start craving slow-cooked foods like stews and roasted vegetables. Winter is a perfect time to eat these heavier foods that don’t appeal during the hot summer months. Some favorites meals around our house are this Harvest Blessings Soup or a Dutch Oven Pork Roast (or any roasted meat, for that matter.)

For warm breakfasts, consider making oatmeal overnight in the crockpot, or a delicious congee. Congee is a nourishing food used in TCM. It is kind of like a rice pudding. We love ours with goji berries and a little maple syrup.

Use Warming Herbs in Your Food

Consider how you season your foods, and choose spices that will warm your body rather than cool it. Some great choices include ginger, cloves, cardamom, and turmeric. Try to keep the spice level at “medium” or below. You want your food to be warming, but not so hot that it makes you sweat and ultimately cools your body.

Get Moving!

Finally, I know that cold weather can make you want to hibernate, but movement is one of the best ways to warm your body and keep things from getting stagnant. Take this as a great excuse to get up, turn on some music, and dance around the living room with your kids.

 

I hope these tips help you and your family stay warm this winter. Spring will be here before we know it, and then it’ll be the perfect time for all of those cleanses and fasts. 😉

Pin It