From warm days to subarctic winds, the winter of 2010 has brought it all.
On the farm, no matter what the weather, we all keep on moving towards the next farming cycle. For now, this means the constant repair from the winter weather.
Winter Repairs
Our boys recently repaired the entire side curtain on the east side of the greenhouse. It had been torn away during one of our relentless high wind storms.
Out here, a storm may only be a foot of snow, but with 3 or 4 days of high winds and white out conditions, the resulting drifts are taller than the barns. The animals need to have paths to water carved out for them, and since we are a small acreage farm, this means using a small tractor, shovels, and hours of backbreaking work.
The older two boys work in a serious manner, they want to get done and get back in the house. The two younger boys seem to be oblivious to the wind and snow; They work on an imaginary barricade that will be breached with a lot of whooping it up and throwing snow all around.
A Hearty Lunch
When everyone arrives at home for a lunch break, they need fuel. Hot soup and homemade bread is the order of the day. The pantry holds the makings of this hearty lunch.
This recipe has been adapted from my book: Canning and Preserving for Dummies. It is based on jars of vegetables that you canned during last gardening season. The vegetables are up to you. It is the resulting mixture of warm veggies, broth and love that makes this soup delicious.
Recipe: Easy Vegetable Soup
Don't have time to make vegetable soup from scratch: No problem! You can whip up a delicious vegetable soup in no time just by using the canned veggies you have in your pantry. This recipe uses canned corn, carrots, peas, and bell peppers, but you can use any combination that strikes your fancy. Serve this hearty soup, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese shavings and a good homemade chewy bread. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
Directions: