Lehman's Country Life

Snow days off school can be full of fun things for children to do.  Snowball fights, sledding, building a big snowman or fort – among the many mugs of steaming hot cocoa.

But what about those weekend days full of grey, cold rain and mud?  What do you do with a house full of bored children?

Enjoy the creativity of good old-fashioned arts and crafts projects of years gone past.  They are simple to plan for and do not break the budget.
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Super foods. Vitamin enriched. Nutritionally dense. These are terms that are becoming common in the nutrition world as well as in our grocery isles.  But how do we  get our families to actually eat the foods that are good for their bodies and minds?  This is a question that meal planners have been struggling with forever.

A good starting point is to plan your meals around the rainbow. Beneficial foods are rich in color.  Offering your family a variety of them keeps the winter doldrums away, too.

That starts with thinking outside of the box – tried and true recipes are great but sometimes you really need to be creative.

Very Veggie: Don’t save setting out raw veggie platters only for company. 
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With entertaining this holiday season there can come some risks and hazards.  Good preparation and planning is vital to make sure your celebrations being healthy and fun.

Many times we only think of food borne illnesses as a threat in warm summer weather. That is a perfect environment for food borne illness –but not the only one.
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Holiday times, by their very nature, are busy, busy times.  But that doesn’t mean you have to rely on pizza and processed foods to feed your family between activities.

Go through those family recipes and start enjoying the season. Do not forget to bring out your slow cooker and dust it off.  Foods cooked slowly are wonderful this time of year. Fresh fruits and crunchy green salads add a healthy punch to the menu, too.

Here are some delicious homemade recipes to make ahead or in a hurry.

Eggnog French Toast
The first time I had this recipe was at a holiday party with a dear friend who is no longer here with us. They gave me their recipe and I am sharing it with you. Plan ahead – it is worth it!

4 cups purchased eggnog
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 country white bread loaf – (14.5 oz) — halved horizontally, half cut crosswise 8 slices — (do not use ends)
1/4 cup unsalted butter – (1/2 stick) — melted
Powdered sugar
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The crisp fall weather is an ideal time to start planning the addition of a fruit garden.  You do not need a large plot of land – a sunny area 100×100 feet is more than room enough.
Fruit trees can provide both flower power and fresh fruit.  Berry plants and brambles produce sweet, juicy and delicious fruit from spring to early fall.

The hardest part can be to understand where to start.
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As the fall weather slips in it may seem work should slow down.  Not so for those of us that has chosen to live a life closer to the Olden Ways.  Many of us have farms, animals, and gardens to tend.  There is firewood to gather and the last of the harvest to put up.  But that doesn’t have to stop you from serving rustic and hearty meals to keep that energy up.

These recipes are rich in vegetables and rib-sticking good in the cooler weather.  Some use the slow cooker; others are quick and easy. All are perfect for supper one night and a hot lunch the following day.

Cuban Pork and Sweet Potato Stew
1 large (1 lb.) sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½” dice
1 pound lean pork loin, cut into 1″ pieces
1 can (14½ oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 medium garlic clove, minced
¼ cup orange juice
2 medium scallions, chopped (green part only)
½ tsp. table salt
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. black pepper
1½ TB fresh lime juice
2 TB fresh cilantro, chopped
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Many of us have fruit trees in our landscape.  They may be there for pleasure or profit.  On our farm we have a small cluster of different fruit trees – mostly for the fruit and spring flower enjoyment.  This year is the first that I have had to deal with bark damage on our trees.  Your first thought might go to deer peeling the bark which is a common problem.  Mine was less expected – our newly acquired dairy goat Mocha got out and has a great love for anything apple.  She has done some major bark peeling (check out the photos).

So I have had to do some learning about how to treat my damaged apple trees and wanted to share what I have learned with you.  I hope it helps others who also must now repair bark damage, done by deer, goats or whoever.
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This is the time of year when time may be in short supply.  Between work, school shopping and that last grab at summer it can really make days short.  So, how do you plan a non-fast food chain supper when the time you are making that decision is on the way home after a long day at work, with cranky, hungry, tired children you have just picked up school or daycare?

From this point on the suggestions are personal opinion, and some things that have worked for my large family over the years. Each family is different, but two things remain the same: you need a nutritious meal, and you need to get it fast. Time to  think outside the box.
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“Going Green” and “Eco-Friendly” may be new words to some of us, but they have been a way of life for many over the centuries.

When pioneers and settlers started spreading their families into areas with unpredictable rain amounts, conserving water for the dry spells became a must. Failure to do so was a lesson hard learned. Especially in certain areas, water supplies under the desert and arid land are not an inexhaustible source as they were thought to be prior to the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930s.

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There are many foods that can be prepared all at one time then show back up on your family’s menu as totally different dishes.

My first thoughts are always what is in season from our large family garden and what is on special at the market. Before I know it, a menu is forming. I make some notes to take with me for the shopping trip. Your list of purchases may include things such as eggs and produce; we are blessed to have those here on the farm. The final menu would be determined on how some of the meats looked and such. Always make a quick look through the pantry to be sure you have all the ingredients needed – you do not want to get in the middle of making potato salad to realize you are out of mustard.
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