I think I got a dairy promotion this past week. lol Before now I just pasteurized, bottled and labeled. I did the "white milk" and chocolate milk. (The only reason I did the chocolate milk is because I was the one pasteurizing the first time we did it after that it was my thing to do).
So this past week I was walked through making the Vanilla Bean Yogurt. Before now making yogurt was something that only mom and dad did together. No one else had been shown and I honestly didn't expect anyone to be shown for a while. But dad asked me if I would make it, gave me instructions and left. :D Mom and I worked on it together, since mom had helped dad with it before and knew what somewhat what we were suppossed to do, so I wasn't left completely alone the first time.
I did the milk part while mom did the vanilla bean part. (She doesn't know how to run the pasteurizer yet. :D ) After I worked on that all day Thursday (it takes 6-8 hours for the culture to make milk into yogurt). I then made a plain batch of yogurt Friday morning. So two batches in less then 24 hours. Wow!!
Then Thursday night dad asked me if I wanted to do his Kefir while I was wating for the yogurt to finish. Having given me step-by-step direction he left me to do it (he had some business that HAD to be dealt with in the house.) I did that very carefully, knowing that kefir is "alive" and could be "killed", I was very careful with every step I went trough and came back to dad to double check that I was doing it all the correct way, I hadn't forgotten anything and I would not kill it! I got it done without killing it and had over a gallon to sell at market on Saturday.
In the end, we sold over half of both yogurts and some of the kefir we brought (we only brought SIX gallons worth!!) And I felt proud that I had made them and people liked it enough to buy them! :D
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Title Change?
When I graduated from high school I got the question "What are you going to do with you life now?" (As I am sure everyone gets at that time in their life). When I told people, that I was going to wait and see what God gave me to do and no I was not going to collage I got a fair number of stares and even more lectures. lol
After about a month God showed us what he wanted me to do. Among other things, I got a job......I became Farm Manager for Swede Farm. Now, truthfully that didn't stop all the lectures on why I should go to collage, but it slowed them down and I could stand them a little better. :D
Now, being Farm Manager for Swede Farm has changed over the years, from when we were a farm with only 5 goats for family milk to a dairy with 50+ goats for selling at markets. It used to be an easy laid back job, now it takes a little more time and energy.
We have noticed (mom and I) That over the past few months the jobs that would fall under my job as farm manager have either been handed off to or taken up by, the ever capable and but sometimes not always willing Grace. (Though when she knows she has to do it, she does it without quibbling.)
Grace is the one is studying to be a vet tech and has said if she knew that God did not want her to get married and have kids should be a vet. But without knowing that she is going the route she know she can do right now and that she know will help her no matter what she will do when she is grown and possible married--A Vet tech.
That leaves me without a job (well, sort of). So when people ask me what I am going to do with my life now (Which I still get a lot! And more so then my 19 year old sister!!), I am stuck without the Farm Manager line. Though I have realized the line "Well, I own and run my own business as well as help with the family dairy." works REAL well! lol
But now we are trying to think of a new title since now that Grace has taken over most of the farm manager jobs and I have been doing a lot of pasteurizing, labeling, keeping track of what labels we have and what product we have or need to make. Dad did jokingly say I was the vice president of milk processing. I didn't like and it was a little longer then I would like to throw out there. I mean farm manager is so easy and quick to say can you imagine saying that title my dad came up with? That would kill any conversation on the spot. lol
After about a month God showed us what he wanted me to do. Among other things, I got a job......I became Farm Manager for Swede Farm. Now, truthfully that didn't stop all the lectures on why I should go to collage, but it slowed them down and I could stand them a little better. :D
Now, being Farm Manager for Swede Farm has changed over the years, from when we were a farm with only 5 goats for family milk to a dairy with 50+ goats for selling at markets. It used to be an easy laid back job, now it takes a little more time and energy.
We have noticed (mom and I) That over the past few months the jobs that would fall under my job as farm manager have either been handed off to or taken up by, the ever capable and but sometimes not always willing Grace. (Though when she knows she has to do it, she does it without quibbling.)
Grace is the one is studying to be a vet tech and has said if she knew that God did not want her to get married and have kids should be a vet. But without knowing that she is going the route she know she can do right now and that she know will help her no matter what she will do when she is grown and possible married--A Vet tech.
That leaves me without a job (well, sort of). So when people ask me what I am going to do with my life now (Which I still get a lot! And more so then my 19 year old sister!!), I am stuck without the Farm Manager line. Though I have realized the line "Well, I own and run my own business as well as help with the family dairy." works REAL well! lol
But now we are trying to think of a new title since now that Grace has taken over most of the farm manager jobs and I have been doing a lot of pasteurizing, labeling, keeping track of what labels we have and what product we have or need to make. Dad did jokingly say I was the vice president of milk processing. I didn't like and it was a little longer then I would like to throw out there. I mean farm manager is so easy and quick to say can you imagine saying that title my dad came up with? That would kill any conversation on the spot. lol
Thursday, March 26, 2009
You Know It's Wet on Swede Farm.....
When at least one of the following things happens in a day....
1) You slip and slide your entire way to the dairy from the house or visa verse.
2) You spend the entire time of your trip from the house to the dairy and back again praying that you can get to the sidewalk safely on both feet without having ended up on your back!
3) You have to go the long way to the dairy
4) The toddlers are always coming in wet and covered in mud
Well, all four have happened here, today alone! lol I slipped and sled my way to the dairy and back again, the long way, praying the entire time I wouldn't fall, not to mention I had to go back a few times to get my shoe that had fallen off as I ran. When I got to the house on more then one occasion, I was met by some some very wet boys.
When we lived in the city I LOVED it when it rained, I loved the sound of rain hitting the roof, the sound and smell of it hitting the hot cement. The look of lightening in the sky and the sound of the thunder right afterwards. The look of everything wet, and those days when we had wind with the rain were some of my favorites!
I am also the nutcase that always wanted a category #1 or #2 hurricane to hit us so I could have a combination of both in a big way. All I got was Tropical storm Allison to come and ruin my birthday party. lol
Since moving out to the country, I still love it. When Ike hit us, I was out at three am watching the wind and rain for an hour and enjoying it ever so much. (I knew all the animals were as safe as they could be.)
There have been a few drawbacks to rain and wind in the country. 1)When those surprise storms come up it's a little hard to enjoy them when you are worrying about the animal,s (Be they the small rabbits or the huge horses). 2) Its also a little hard to enjoy the rain when you know afterwards it's going to mean tons of mopping in the end.
I have no idea how much rain we have gotten in the past two weeks, when it comes to inches. All I know is it's been a lot. We have had a lake more then once in our front yard and have been battling trying to keep the goats dry and clean.
Now, I shouldn't be complaining since Texas is going through one of it's worst droughts in a while. Not to mention with all this rain the burn bans are bound to be lees, so we can burn more (to bad I don't have some fireworks that sounds fun right about now. :-s But I need to wait for the 4th of July and ray we aren't under a burn ban then.) Oh and it helps my garden, so I don't have to water it with a hose or tote water from the pond (that is the BEST water for the garden!)
Just to let you know--I love rain! But only when I am in the city and don't have to worry about animals. :D
1) You slip and slide your entire way to the dairy from the house or visa verse.
2) You spend the entire time of your trip from the house to the dairy and back again praying that you can get to the sidewalk safely on both feet without having ended up on your back!
3) You have to go the long way to the dairy
4) The toddlers are always coming in wet and covered in mud
Well, all four have happened here, today alone! lol I slipped and sled my way to the dairy and back again, the long way, praying the entire time I wouldn't fall, not to mention I had to go back a few times to get my shoe that had fallen off as I ran. When I got to the house on more then one occasion, I was met by some some very wet boys.
When we lived in the city I LOVED it when it rained, I loved the sound of rain hitting the roof, the sound and smell of it hitting the hot cement. The look of lightening in the sky and the sound of the thunder right afterwards. The look of everything wet, and those days when we had wind with the rain were some of my favorites!
I am also the nutcase that always wanted a category #1 or #2 hurricane to hit us so I could have a combination of both in a big way. All I got was Tropical storm Allison to come and ruin my birthday party. lol
Since moving out to the country, I still love it. When Ike hit us, I was out at three am watching the wind and rain for an hour and enjoying it ever so much. (I knew all the animals were as safe as they could be.)
There have been a few drawbacks to rain and wind in the country. 1)When those surprise storms come up it's a little hard to enjoy them when you are worrying about the animal,s (Be they the small rabbits or the huge horses). 2) Its also a little hard to enjoy the rain when you know afterwards it's going to mean tons of mopping in the end.
I have no idea how much rain we have gotten in the past two weeks, when it comes to inches. All I know is it's been a lot. We have had a lake more then once in our front yard and have been battling trying to keep the goats dry and clean.
Now, I shouldn't be complaining since Texas is going through one of it's worst droughts in a while. Not to mention with all this rain the burn bans are bound to be lees, so we can burn more (to bad I don't have some fireworks that sounds fun right about now. :-s But I need to wait for the 4th of July and ray we aren't under a burn ban then.) Oh and it helps my garden, so I don't have to water it with a hose or tote water from the pond (that is the BEST water for the garden!)
Just to let you know--I love rain! But only when I am in the city and don't have to worry about animals. :D
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
It's Tuesday! :D
Meaning, it's another market day. There two markets a week that we go to. One Tuesday night's and the other Saturday morning.
This morning I had to pasteurize, but I could only do that after the girls had finished milking (I needed this morning's milk since someone had order it). As I was pasteurizing the milk, I was making sure that all the milk, kefir, yogurt, and chocolate milk had been labeled. I knew that the 20 gallons I pasteurized yesterday wasn't labeled, but other then that I wasn't to sure what had and hadn't been labeled since dad is making kefir and I am the labeling person, I doubted dad had labeled the kefir. And I was correct. :D But, I also had a pretty good idea that all the yogurt and chocolate milk was labeled, again I was correct.
I headed into the house to print up some Kefir labels (ran out with two bottles left to label. grrr) I noticed that Judah and Noah were kind of dirty. Ahh, the pleasures of living in the country--There always seems to be a bit of mud to play in or a tractor/lawn mower to wash! (Noah, has taken it upon himself to wash dad's lawn mower ever morning. lol).
I now sit here trying to find a simple picture of an armadillo for dad's kefir label and if I can't find that it's time to look for a simple horseshoe. :D While searching for these pictures and typing this, I am listening to some of my favorite music (I work a LOT better with music on). Today it happens to be The Irish Tenors (right now it is "Song For Ireland").
Now, I am off to bottle and label the milk I pasteurized today. :D
This morning I had to pasteurize, but I could only do that after the girls had finished milking (I needed this morning's milk since someone had order it). As I was pasteurizing the milk, I was making sure that all the milk, kefir, yogurt, and chocolate milk had been labeled. I knew that the 20 gallons I pasteurized yesterday wasn't labeled, but other then that I wasn't to sure what had and hadn't been labeled since dad is making kefir and I am the labeling person, I doubted dad had labeled the kefir. And I was correct. :D But, I also had a pretty good idea that all the yogurt and chocolate milk was labeled, again I was correct.
I headed into the house to print up some Kefir labels (ran out with two bottles left to label. grrr) I noticed that Judah and Noah were kind of dirty. Ahh, the pleasures of living in the country--There always seems to be a bit of mud to play in or a tractor/lawn mower to wash! (Noah, has taken it upon himself to wash dad's lawn mower ever morning. lol).
I now sit here trying to find a simple picture of an armadillo for dad's kefir label and if I can't find that it's time to look for a simple horseshoe. :D While searching for these pictures and typing this, I am listening to some of my favorite music (I work a LOT better with music on). Today it happens to be The Irish Tenors (right now it is "Song For Ireland").
Now, I am off to bottle and label the milk I pasteurized today. :D
Monday, March 23, 2009
Pictures from Saturday
A normal view of our booth at market. "Educating Houston one cup at a time".
Sara, Lightning, and her ribbons.
C
I'm Sore!!
"Don't count you chicks before they hatch."
Ever heard that before? I have, many times! But in this case it was--don't count your tools before you use them! I am working on my raised beds (before anyone says anything, yes I do know I am very late with my garden this year!). First I need to pound some spikes in the ground, then cut the 4x4s, then the wood planks, screw the side rails into the 4x4s, fill the beds with dirt and then put plants in the ground and I am good to go. Sound like the normal way to do things right?
Well, it wasn't that way and hasn't been that way for me, this year. First I can't find the sledge hammer, I am guessing since it weighs more then the toddlers (or so it seems) that they didn't run off with it. Rather I am guessing we either loaned it to someone, never owned one or I didn't look hard enough for it. Knowing that we have owned one, since I have used it for this very same job, I am guessing that we loaned it to someone or I didn't look very hard. My honest opinion on this matter? I didn't look very hard and I was being lazy (or going the hard route). So I pounded the 4x4 spikes using a 2x4, which I have to tell you the first two days was lots of fun and not to hard. The third day? Well, let's just say I think I might take a little more time and look harder the next time I need the sledge hammer for this job. lol
After that I need the sawzall to cut the 4x4s in half. I go and the battery in it is dead. So I put the back up in, and it is almost dead. I use what's left of the battery juice and cut a 4x4 about 1/2 way through, before it died. I then started cutting it with a hack saw. Which I got done pretty quick. I then moved on to cutting more (I need six cut). When dad saw me cutting it he told me it couldn't be done. I'm glad he told me after I had done a couple. lol
Then instead of screwing the planks to the 2x4s I had to use a hammer, since the same battery goes to both the sawzall and the drill. Which I have no problem doing, but by now I am beyond tired.
Now, I have half a bed built. I need two, not going to get done today! :-S Oh, well at least it's getting done. lol
I am now off to do some evening chores. We are trying to get them done early tonight so that we can have a movie night (with snacks!) While we fold some laundry. :D What fun!!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
A Saturday on Swede Farm
Saturdays are very busy days for our family and have been every week for the past four or five months.
Ever Saturday morning we get up around five. We being Dad, Mom, Seth, and any other child that is going to market with them, (who that is changes from market trip to market trip), and myself. While mom is inside getting the kids ready to go, dad and I are packing product.
When we started going to market we had one MAYBE two ice chest for all our product. Since we have had all those goats kid back in February, we now have a ton more milk. So we are bringing one ice chest PER product. One for the Kefir, one for the plain yogurt, one for the vanilla yogurt, one for 1/2 gallon jugs of milk, one for 1/4 gallon jugs and one for the chocolate milk.
Once we have product in the ice chest we work together to load it into the van with all the other stuff we need for market as well as leaving space for all those who are going to safely sit in a seat. You would think we could do it in a 15 passenger van, but sometimes it is a tight fit!
Well, yesterday was a little different in more then one way. First, this was our first Saturday to have the girls back from Germany, so we had a few more options on who should go stay, who should go and of those who stayed what work they were to do, etc. Second Sara was showing three of her rabbits (rather one was hers, the other two were dad's). Sara had to be signed in and in place by 10. We are supposed to be at market from 8-12, set up and ready to sell that is. So we had a little juggling to do.
So, what did we do? We need someone to go with and stay with Sara, some one to stay at market and someone to stay at home to watch the children and get chores done. So, we decide to send Grace with Sara, me with dad and mom to drive Sara there and then come back to help us at market, and Chris to stay home with the youngers and get shores done. (Plus I think she was trying to get me out of the house for the day).
Sounds like a great plan right? Adults in all three places, everything should go fine right? Well, first we got a late start, because my alarm clock has not been working lately. :-S So, instead of going off at 4:30, it decided not to go off at all. (there, went my shower!) So, I head out to load up product, the most every and at the fastest rate as well!
I come in get ready to go, with the call going out "Leaving in 5 minutes!". I quickly get dressed, grab my purse and bible study bag and head out the door. Only to find that the cage they have for the rabbits is three times the size I thought it would be. I suggest one idea, and it didn't work. So at dad's suggestion he and Grace take out the back row while I go and hunt for a travel mug, which I never found. I had to wait until we got to market to get some coffee at Katz. (Well, dad didn't suggest I look for the mug).
So, we get to Market, loaded down with 6 ice chest, market gear, two rabbit cages, and five people to help setup, one toddler and a ton of energy. :D We get set up, mom, Sara, Grace, and I (change in plans) head over to the Reliant hall to help get Sara's rabbits singed in and set up. After she is all done, mom and I head back leaving Sara to watch her rabbits and get them set up for showing and leaving Grace with her to help her stay calm, make sure Sara eats and to have fun, this is after all the livestock show, the one thing Grace asks for each year for her birthday. lol
After we get back to market I make my rounds, I get some coffee at Katz, a cheese sample from Lisa, Say hi to the Hattermanns, Bring my knife to be sharpened, talk with Julia--the Market Manager--about kid's day next week (and tease her about being a Brewers fan in Houston). After I have said hi to everyone, I head back to our booth to help with the milk. By this time it's 9:30-10:00 which is when it really starts to get busy, not just for us but for all of market and there is no real time to chit-chat.
At this time mom, dad, and I are all helping costumers. Giving out samples. answer questions on goats milk and goats, and filling out orders. Hectic? Yes!! But a TON of fun! I love doing it. Oh and we are also watching Seth who is trying to pull up on anything he can and pull out anything he can.
After market shuts down, we slowly start to close down, I don't think we have ever taken this long to close down. I do think the fact that all three of us were very tired and had nothing really to motivate us to get home didn't help any. (Hey, Chris was watching the kids, she can handle them!) Plus it was hot, you can tell that we are starting to get to the Houston Summers! lol
I napped on the way home, about an hour's worth of nap was great! When we got home we had someone here who was helping us to put up goat shelters. :D So, dad went out to help them with that, while mom started planning dinner, the youngers ran around and played until evening chore time and I worked on my garden.
After about an hour or two of that work Chris, Linnea, and Emma headed out to milk, while I cleaned up my stuff from the garden work, our friends left, with mom and dad soon followed them down the road to get the girls from the livestock show.
After chores were down we eat and I settled the little kids down, while I thought the older kids were doing their after meal jobs and a little house cleaning. They weren't they were talking about Narnia and listening to it on tape. Grrrrrr!!! The rest of the family got home and we all pretty much crashed after that.
Well, there you have it--a close to normal Saturday on Swede Farm.
Ever Saturday morning we get up around five. We being Dad, Mom, Seth, and any other child that is going to market with them, (who that is changes from market trip to market trip), and myself. While mom is inside getting the kids ready to go, dad and I are packing product.
When we started going to market we had one MAYBE two ice chest for all our product. Since we have had all those goats kid back in February, we now have a ton more milk. So we are bringing one ice chest PER product. One for the Kefir, one for the plain yogurt, one for the vanilla yogurt, one for 1/2 gallon jugs of milk, one for 1/4 gallon jugs and one for the chocolate milk.
Once we have product in the ice chest we work together to load it into the van with all the other stuff we need for market as well as leaving space for all those who are going to safely sit in a seat. You would think we could do it in a 15 passenger van, but sometimes it is a tight fit!
Well, yesterday was a little different in more then one way. First, this was our first Saturday to have the girls back from Germany, so we had a few more options on who should go stay, who should go and of those who stayed what work they were to do, etc. Second Sara was showing three of her rabbits (rather one was hers, the other two were dad's). Sara had to be signed in and in place by 10. We are supposed to be at market from 8-12, set up and ready to sell that is. So we had a little juggling to do.
So, what did we do? We need someone to go with and stay with Sara, some one to stay at market and someone to stay at home to watch the children and get chores done. So, we decide to send Grace with Sara, me with dad and mom to drive Sara there and then come back to help us at market, and Chris to stay home with the youngers and get shores done. (Plus I think she was trying to get me out of the house for the day).
Sounds like a great plan right? Adults in all three places, everything should go fine right? Well, first we got a late start, because my alarm clock has not been working lately. :-S So, instead of going off at 4:30, it decided not to go off at all. (there, went my shower!) So, I head out to load up product, the most every and at the fastest rate as well!
I come in get ready to go, with the call going out "Leaving in 5 minutes!". I quickly get dressed, grab my purse and bible study bag and head out the door. Only to find that the cage they have for the rabbits is three times the size I thought it would be. I suggest one idea, and it didn't work. So at dad's suggestion he and Grace take out the back row while I go and hunt for a travel mug, which I never found. I had to wait until we got to market to get some coffee at Katz. (Well, dad didn't suggest I look for the mug).
So, we get to Market, loaded down with 6 ice chest, market gear, two rabbit cages, and five people to help setup, one toddler and a ton of energy. :D We get set up, mom, Sara, Grace, and I (change in plans) head over to the Reliant hall to help get Sara's rabbits singed in and set up. After she is all done, mom and I head back leaving Sara to watch her rabbits and get them set up for showing and leaving Grace with her to help her stay calm, make sure Sara eats and to have fun, this is after all the livestock show, the one thing Grace asks for each year for her birthday. lol
After we get back to market I make my rounds, I get some coffee at Katz, a cheese sample from Lisa, Say hi to the Hattermanns, Bring my knife to be sharpened, talk with Julia--the Market Manager--about kid's day next week (and tease her about being a Brewers fan in Houston). After I have said hi to everyone, I head back to our booth to help with the milk. By this time it's 9:30-10:00 which is when it really starts to get busy, not just for us but for all of market and there is no real time to chit-chat.
At this time mom, dad, and I are all helping costumers. Giving out samples. answer questions on goats milk and goats, and filling out orders. Hectic? Yes!! But a TON of fun! I love doing it. Oh and we are also watching Seth who is trying to pull up on anything he can and pull out anything he can.
After market shuts down, we slowly start to close down, I don't think we have ever taken this long to close down. I do think the fact that all three of us were very tired and had nothing really to motivate us to get home didn't help any. (Hey, Chris was watching the kids, she can handle them!) Plus it was hot, you can tell that we are starting to get to the Houston Summers! lol
I napped on the way home, about an hour's worth of nap was great! When we got home we had someone here who was helping us to put up goat shelters. :D So, dad went out to help them with that, while mom started planning dinner, the youngers ran around and played until evening chore time and I worked on my garden.
After about an hour or two of that work Chris, Linnea, and Emma headed out to milk, while I cleaned up my stuff from the garden work, our friends left, with mom and dad soon followed them down the road to get the girls from the livestock show.
After chores were down we eat and I settled the little kids down, while I thought the older kids were doing their after meal jobs and a little house cleaning. They weren't they were talking about Narnia and listening to it on tape. Grrrrrr!!! The rest of the family got home and we all pretty much crashed after that.
Well, there you have it--a close to normal Saturday on Swede Farm.
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