Things are starting to wind down on the farmy in some ways.
And wind up in others. The bulk of the apples and tomatoes and vegetables are in jars and in the cellar. The pears and apples are next in the crusher, not quite yet though. I have a lot of picking to do yet.
Seeds are being collected and dried.
Last night we had Lamb rissoles. I mixed ground up left over roasted lamb, mashed potato, an egg, an onion and whatever green herbs are hanging about. Grandma always added parsley. Here is the recipe exactly as she wrote it in a blog post I wrote two years ago about Daisy getting lost in the field. We had corn that year too.
I always make a few extra jars of apple crumble for John’s and the old Codger’s lunches. These ones have plenty of room for the Old Codger to add his favourite vanilla ice cream.
The meat side of my farm is winding Up. We are on an ominivores diet and so I raise grass fed meat to go with our vegetables. The Bobby and Charlotte went to the locker early last week. Both animals loaded easily and took their early morning trips to the abbatoir without fuss. It was sad to see Charlotte go but she left a trail of destruction in her wake. Not the least of it being: breaking the fence between her and the ram – letting him in with Minty and Meadow and completely demolishing the chooks run over and over again. Feeding her was a very chancy operation. Poor old thing could only have lived in an indestructible concrete stall and that is not how I keep my animals. But I am going to name my new line of soap after her so she is not forgotton. Although she was a nervous bad tempered mother she did help me learn an awful lot and for that I am thankful.
I am lucky that the man down the road, an ex Vietnam War Vet on a pension, does all my truck driving for me. He is a gentle man and he and his wife are paid in meat for helping me which pleases them greatly as the army pension is not very much to live on.
I spoke to the man at the abattoir and he has some lard I can have to start making soap. It is a small family run outfit and when I go to pick up the lard on Saturday I will show you. It is absolutely nothing like the big terrifying slaughter houses. This wee country abattoir only does a few animals a day, it is quiet, efficient and personal. They know my animals are grass fed for maximum nutrition and gently grown and like all their charges they move them swiftly through their last moments with gentleness and dignity. It is one of those tiny businesses that help keep a tiny town open and I am comfortable sending my animals there and being part of this old fashioned country cycle.
This weekend I am going to try and make soap for the first time. If any of you have made soap I would be grateful for any tips. I want to make lavender soap.
The Black Mariah is parked up again for a while though. The broiler chickens (who go in two weeks) will be taken to their special organic meat bird abbatoir in a covered truck bed. And the piglets who are no longer piglets have a few more months on the farm yet.
Good morning. Today I am making a pound cake for John to take to Georgia tomorrow. He is going to visit his son who is still in basic training down there. I promised The Tall Teenager I would send him a cake. But we are not allowed to send food to the camp now. So he can eat it when they leave the base. I am going to put a fork in the tin with the cake. Otherwise he might pick the whole cake up and take a bite right there outside the gates.
I hope you all have a lovely day. It is 6.30 am and still dark. Starting to work at sunrise is not as early as it was.
You all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
85 responses to “The Omnivore’s Farm”
All that lovely meat to look forward to! You mentioned that you’re going to try curing this time. Is there a ham on the menu? Perfect for Christmas!
Christine
The hams will come later, but John does want to do a salt cured ham. Finding salt in those quantities at a reasonable cost is our first task. However before that I hope to work with SMOKE! Johns other birthday present may have something to do with that! c
I sympathise with you – and I expect all the farmy’s friends will be missing Charlotte and the Bobby.
Soap: the only think I know about making soap is that wood ash comes into it somewhere. If the Farmy community doesn’t know, I’m sure Google will be a mine of information.
Have a great day, love ViV
wood ash is used to make an old fashioned lye (or caustic soda) . We tried and tried and failed. So I have bought some! I have found a google recipe that fits, but having never done this before I bet there are a few tips I would appreciate.. c
Morning darling, you’re up early! I think it’s wonderful that you’ve been able to give your animals so much dignity and respect during both their lifetimes and at the abattoir. It can’t be easy sending them off, but that’s the tough reality of farming and self-sufficiency – we only make a pretense of it here in the city, and depend on folks in the country to prop us up by supplying our meat and at least some of our vegetable requirements. I think you’re very brave, and I’m so glad you’re my friend. x
Re making soap, lovely Linda our permaculture guru wrote a detailed post about how she makes soap some years ago. She and I trade – soap for chocolate – and I haven’t bought hand soap now for over a year! Here’s her post:
http://witcheskitchen.com.au/making-soap-in-time-for-christmas/
I think Linda makes her with oils, which out here are unbelievably expensive. But I shall pop over and see if she has any tips and info.. Morning Celia darling, i shall pop over soon and see what is in your kitchen.. c
The light in your images today is exquisite.
I love how you are supporting the local economy, bartering occasionally and carrying on old-time traditions like soap making. A woman from my church has made soap for decades, but I have no clue how she does so.
Those old ladies have so much know-how in their heads, I would love to have mentor like that.. but like everything else I think I will learn by trial and error, there is so much we have had to relearn. c
I’ve never made soap, but my sister has. She says the most common mistake beginners make is not letting it cure/dry out enough before trying to use it. It has to harden up – think cheese! A lot of people down here make soaps using goat’s milk, which is really kind on the hands but doesn’t last well. I like the idea of using every last bit of pig and making yours from lard. It should harden well. Be sure to tell us how you get on, and if it works well, the recipe you end up with. KC
I will have you with me every step of the way and thank you for your sisters advice, I have heard I should let it sit for three weeks, is that about right?.. c
The longer the better, I’m told. And I think you’re doing it at the right time of year; warm weather makes it stay soft longer. You almost shame me into wanting to try it for myself – I make the excuse I have no time, but I do of course. I want to try a version using lemon-scented geranium leaves. And I have the climate to grow lemongrass and vetiver, both of which I love for soap. Be sure to let us know how you go. KC
I remember growing those lemon scented geraniums in NZ.. gorgeous.. what a lovely idea.. c
Poor Charlotte…with her naughty ways and her trail of destruction. I love that wayward Pig, and am happy that she’s going to go with dignity and care. It’s lovely the way you handle the arc of their lives, Celi…that they live so happily and go so gracefully. Lotta love in that. Good luck with your soap making. And what a lovely line of products to inherit her name ; ). Have a beautiful day on the farm. —Charlotte
Good Morning Charlotte, I am glad to hear you say that. The other wonderful thing about making soap is that i can wrap it in tissue and MAIL it all over the world, even to Italy. Though first one needs to make ones soap.. c
Thank you for letting us know about Charlotte and the Bobby. I’ve been wondering about them. I think it is important for us to be frank about the realities of life on the farm. They had a good life, as it is supposed to be. We eat meat, and I think your way is the best possible way to do things. I am also happy to hear that you have a small abattoir nearby. We have held back from raising meat animals for not having anyone who does that nearby. Recently we learned of a young man our son went to school with who is starting up a business in the next town so we may reconsider.
You’re making soap! Clever girl. And lavender is my most favorite scent for soap! I found this article about making your own lye water out of hardwood ash. http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_ashlye.html
Sounds very time consuming and complicated… A science experiment!
I am now at that interesting place of still doing the farm, and adding my Jewelry teaching classes on top for the next few weeks. Makes for a busy month, but I am excited to be back at it. I have a new class of 10 eager students, a really good group, including one adorable young man with an earring. It’s going to be a fun semester! I made a most wonderful ring last week! (hee hee! oh, the joy of being back at the bench!!) We’ll be making bangles by November!
But first, I am leaving on a trip next Wednesday to Idaho, where my sister and her husband live. A 10-day break! Ahhh!
TEN days! How decadent! I am sure you will have a lovely time.. c
I loved your pictures today and am glad that you found the perfect quiet and gentle place for The Bobby and Charlotte. How lovely that your soap will be named after Charlotte. What you experienced is not unusual from what others have told me who keep hogs. I have a friend here who makes lovely soy candles, lotion and beautiful soaps. I don’t really use her soaps but they are lovely to look at. I am sure you will find the perfect recipe from the farmy friends!
Sometimes I buy those expensive hand made soaps so they can sit in my drawers and scent everything.. I hate to use them up! have a lovely day Beth Ann.. c
Home-made Lavender soap – how divine.
I buy it from the organic store occasionally, but it’s so damn expensive.
I am looking forward to both hearing about, & seeing, your finished product. As a trained Aromotherapist, Lavender has to be one of the essential oils I couldn’t possibly do without in my everyday life. I have made tinctures, creams & ointments many years ago, but never soap. I do remember doing a Google search on the internet once trying to find a good recipe, but decided it was too messy and tedious in the end.
I hope one of your many blog followers can give you a good recipe.
I love lavender too, so do my bees!! c
I make goat milk soap, though with oils, not with lard. Make sure you add the lye to the liquid (in my case milk), not the other way around unless you want a volcanic eruption, and add it slowly, stirring the whole while. We do this with the milk sitting in an ice bath so it doesn’t heat up too fast. Try to have your lye and oil temperatures within 10 degrees of each other when you combine. A stick blender is your best friend for blending your soap. Let it cure at least 3 weeks. Milk soap lasts a long time when properly cured. Lard will make a nice, hard bar of soap. Good luck!
Thank you, good tip about the temperatures, that makes sense.. I am looking forward to having a go. i love handmade soap.. c
BUT you said that animals that your give names would not go to the abattoir. I was startled when I read about Charlotte, trouble maker that she was. The farmy must be peaceful now.
I know, life throws us some curved balls sometimes. c
Add your lavender at the very end. Otherwise it will be eaten by the lye. It takes a very long time, stirring it constantly. We used the kids as cheap labor, they would take turns with the wooden spoon. (You have to keep the lard and lye moving together so they can make the change chemically.). Have fun with it!
Thank you Pat. Do you mean add the lavender after you have done the stirring? I have seen many utubes where they use stick blender so i am going to try using that too, it goes much faster they say. c
Yes, once the changes start is the best time to do any adding. Milk for face soap, is a good one.
🙂 Sending admiration and love in your gentle easterly direction. 🙂 I don’t know a thing about making soap, (only ever made fizzy bath bombs and scented bath salts…easy as pie), but have a favourite girl blogger who make exquisite soaps and candles and also the most beautiful floral arrangements I’ve ever seen. (And has a crazy blue healer). Thought maybe you might get some ideas from her site: http://saipua.blogspot.ca/
Oh she is wonderful though I am yet to find the soap. Her pictures are gorgeous. And the flowers! Eva at the risk of sounding completely clueless, how do i join these sites so that i can keep up with their posts, it was the same with the huntress one you sent me yesterday, I do not see the follow button. c
I don’t know Celi. I don’t think these two gals have that option on their sites. Actually, now that I had a look, there doesn’t seem to be a follow option. What I do is pull the favourite sites down on to my favourites bar and then, when I have a chance, go have a look. Sarah’s soap is on the right upper corner under Saipua. World’s End is her flower farm, a newer venture, and the Little Flower school is her flower school.
Lovely. I have put them in my favourites. I was just wondering if I had missed something.. thank you!
Go to her “About” page, and scroll down, there’s an option there to subscribe.
Thank you nanette.. good info
I love the name “abattoir”! Sounds so much softer. When we do our pigs and poultry (meat chickens, layers, ducks, geese and turkeys) it was quick and they never suffered. I am quite adept at the whole process now and no one can beat your own home grown and farm raised poultry!
We also hunt and a clean shot is the goal. If you can’t get a clean shot you should not be hunting.
I am interested in raising Nigerian Dwarf goats. They eat less and give more milk than the larger breeds. I love goat milk and cheese and the meat. Goat milk is the universal donor…my bottle fed kitties thrived on it! Chevre! Mmmmm…..Trying to talk hubby into it! Wish me luck!!!! LOL
He used to raise sheep and it is not an easy job unless you have a few. There are a lot of particulars that I am glad I didn’t have to be a part of. Yikes! He is not excited about goats…sigh…
A friend of mine will give me a milking contraption that is an old time one from his grandparents farm way back when! I really want to do this! 😀
Have never made soap! I do buy mine from someone local and I have a fondness for emu oil! I love lavender! So soothing! I have to replant it every year here…too cold (mine is dried). But it is lovely so I replant it every year, along with my rosemary! Can’t wait to hear about your soap venture!
Right now my Autumn Sedum is in full glory and is covered with ever kind of bee and the Monarchs also adore it! They are covering all of them now! I have them in a huge circle. My fairy circle! 😀
Still harvesting the soybeans out here. Expecting rain …slows us down. Sure would like to get it done so we can finish the field work. Then the garden work.
Pumpkins are looking beautiful! Soon Cinderellie!!! 😀 Picking grapes soon for another wine in a few days! Still picking garden lovelies, so work won’t be finished for a while. Wonder when that frost will hit! Yes…I get teased all the time!
Have a great day Ceci! Loved all the photos! Tonight I will enjoying the Northern Lights! Hope it isn’t overcast!
p.s. I see you also love hollyhocks! 😉
Don’t tell your husband but those delightful Nigerian Dwarf Goats are the best jumping goats in the business. My son wants me to have some desperately. They do give a lot of milk though and eat way way less that our Daisy. Like you it is the goats cheese that i would LOVE! have a gorgeous day mere. and yes I adore hollyhocks, c
Jumpers????? LOL Oh oh! Hmmmmm…. 😀
I so admire you for walking the talk with your animals, despite how difficult it is! C, can you keep the pelts, can’t help thinking how lovely the Bobbies pelt would look on the Coupe verandah – but you would need the know how on tanning it properly first. Laura
I would love to learn how to do that, but calf pelts have always irritated me because they curl up What I would like is the lambs skins, the wool helps them lie flat and they are excellent under the back and heels of a bedridden person. c
Could you ask the guys at the abattoir if they send the pelts off somewhere to be processed. We have lovely Nguni skins that are the decorators favourite. The Nguni is a long horned short legged breed of cattle. Laura
I wold love to find somewhere to process them, I will check again.. c