Saturday, March 28, 2009

Sweetwater Market

Was great fun today - good music and wonderful spirited discussions with people.  I got to share recipes with folks who have never, ever eaten parsnips before.  Whoa!  Are they in for a treat.  I was sold out by 11:45 and should have brought about another 10# with me.  I'll be there with the rest of them in 2 weeks, or if anyone wants to drive to the farm and get some, just email me and I'll have them ready.  They are such a treat this time of year.  These parsnips were planted last May - first week in May.  They grow all summer long and are mulched with a thick layer of straw in October.  When I uncovered 1/3 the rows yesterday, the ground was still frosty.  Parsnips are one of those veggies that get sweeter from cold.  My favorite way to eat them is to peel them, chunk them up, toss with olive oil and salt, tamari, and roast them at 400 ℉ for about 30-40 minutes depending on their size.  I also saute them till brown and tender, some times adding a little tamari and water and putting a lid on the pan if they need to  be tenderized a bit more.  We eat them every day when they are 'in season'.

We had a calf today and the mother cow 'cast her withers' - prolapsed her uterus.  Serious complication. Bill put oil and powdered sugar on it (old farmers' remedy) and pushed it back in.  Then he stitched her shut with plastic weed whacker line.  Do you really want to know this??!!  He just went out to check on her again and give her antibiotics if she looks good still.  If she doesn't look good, no antibiotics will be given and we will have to butcher her tonight and bottle feed the calf or try to get the calf on another cow.  If she dies in a few days, we will dig a big hole and bury her because of the antibiotics given.  We don't eat any cow given antibiotics until many weeks after it's gotten through their system.  This is one of those conditions where antibiotics is warranted.  Most meat, egg and dairy animals get antibiotics as a matter of course in all their ground feed rations.  It's not good for us, or them or our planet!
Update later...

Haiku
Uterine prolapse
Wallowing in shit and blood
We put it back in


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