Butchering Day on the Farm

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

 

 

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

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

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. This process assures that your butter will not beome rancid.
Add some sea salt for taste and knead thoroughly.
You can place in a butter mold or shape into a desired ball. Wrap in parchment paper and cover with tin foil. Freeze for future use.

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 cream from a Jersey Cow. They will provide you with 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!

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

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

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