Lehman's Country Life

When I moved to town from the country a few years ago, this backyard was one of those pristine, closely clipped lawns with a lovely flower garden in the midst of it. Not anymore. The flower garden this year grew corn and beans and squash, and wild sunflowers graced the back of the garage. Smaller oil type sunflowers grew on the south side of the patio, mixed in with millet and whatever else was in that cup of birdseed I scattered there.

Lambsquarter grew to amazing heights in the well prepared soil of a raised bed. It’s loaded with seed right now and bent over from some serious rains. It still looks lacey and delicate from a distance – never mind that the stem is as thick as small fencepost. How I’ll get it out of the garden, I don’t know yet. I might have to hire a tractor to pull it out.

And under the lambsquarter? Purslane! Lots of it. I had to pull some away from the peppers to give them some sun. Dandelions are scattered here and there over the whole place, but mostly under the plum tree, where I’ve instructed my groundskeeper (nephew!) to never mow. He’s learned to not pull “weeds” unless I have told him to and he knows to never put poison of any kind on the grass. Or what remains of the grass.

This year I was pleased to find a patch of panic grass sending its pale yellow flower and seed heads in an orderly scramble upwards. Less pleasant was an invasion of bindweed or wild morning glory. I love the little flower, so let it grow for awhile when it appeared… oops. It hasn’t quit spreading yet and I know that once it gets started, it’s very hard to get rid of.

Mallow, with its whitish to purple blossoms and little green “cheeses,” grow in almost every corner there is – and in my backyard, there are lots of corners! Along the back fence grows a weed that I have never found the name of. It’s rather pretty with tiny yellow flowers early, then three clusters of seeds that explode when they’re ripe, sending them across the lawn to settle in for next year. I’ve been very stern with them, keeping them in that one area, but it takes a lot of weed pulling to convince them.

So now you’re thinking I must be some kind of nut, else why would I purposely let my backyard go to weeds?
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Dear Readers,
It’s almost time for back to school! Whether you are relaxing together or working together, time spent with your children talking and listening, is essential when they are young so that as they grow up, they feel they can still come and talk to you about the everyday things (plus the really important decisions they must make). Make sure you take time to hear about their day, any challenges they’ve had and support to get their homework done. Work on building a good routine these first couple of weeks and the rest of the year will go much smoother.

One of the things I look forward to this time of year is working together in food preservation. Breaking beans, husking corn and picking tomatoes have been a regular task done by my mother, my aunt and myself. It’s a lot of work and I appreciate more each year the time and effort that many of you spend to enjoy your results when the snow is flying. I’ve received several calls on tomatoes, specifically on salsa recipes, and thought you might enjoy the following information I found from a co-worker in Huron County, Ohio, Deb Angell.

Tomatoes have long been recognized as a fairly good source of vitamin C and they contain a smidgen of beta carotene. But until recently, we didn’t realize the antioxidants that make them a favored commodity for fighting many diseases. Experts urge people to eat more tomatoes and tomato products, at least 5 servings per week. The key is lycopene and you get the best results from this anitioxidant when it is heated or cooked to release its best form.
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It’s been said that a great cookbook is more than just a book – it’s a lifetime investment. As cheesy as that may sound, isn’t it true?

Think about your favorite cookbook. Maybe you even got it from your mother or grandmother. The pages start to curl at the edges, you get fingerprints on the cover, you spill all kinds of stuff  – vanilla, Worcestershire sauce, various cake batters – on it as you lovingly cook for your family.

If you’re like me, you make extremely vital notes all over the pages. (In fact, my cookbooks are getting to be more like family history books, as my scribbles tell me that I made this dish for Christmas morning brunch in 2000, tried this new recipe in May and hubby liked it, and experimented with adding extra ingredients to this or that recipe).

And many times, those well-used cookbooks get handed down to the next young cook.

I am lucky enough to have my great-grandmother’s recipe binder, filled with her handwritten recipes (and even one in her mother’s handwriting – my great-great-grandmother!) plus those she clipped out of various publications over the years. Even though it basically contains dessert recipes (she had a real sweet tooth) and about 128 different variations of meatloaf (which my great-grandfather apparently loved), I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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Summer is a great time for gatherings with family and friends. As you head for the picnic basket, grill and cooler, I would like to remind you of the following tips from USDA to keep your food safe and your family healthy to enjoy the summer activities.

• When planning your grocery list, put the perishable items last to buy at the grocery and quickly transport to home.
• Thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator….NOT ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER!! If your meat is still partially frozen when you’re ready to leave, no problem. Just cook it a bit longer at the picnic. (To avoid charbroiling or burning items, place foil on the grill rack.)
• Cook everything thoroughly. Hamburger patties, pork chops, and ribs should be cooked until all the pink is gone, and poultry until there is no red in the joints. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. When in doubt, cook it a bit longer.
• Take what you know about kitchen cleanliness out to the grill. If there’s no water available, take your own or use wet wipes to thoroughly clean your hands before working with food. Keep bacteria on raw meat and poultry from spreading. Wash your hands again after working with raw meat or poultry and before handling other food.
• 
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By the end of this month, many gardens are coming right along. Before you

Black Granny Ware Canner

know it, plants will share the bounty of the summer and you’ll be knee-deep in zucchini or green beans. What do you plan to do with the extra that you can’t eat or enjoy at the moment? Preserve your extra produce for use in the fall and winter! Whether you freeze, can or dry your food depends upon the space and equipment you have available and what your personal preferences happen to be. This article will focus on the safety issues and canning basics.
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There is a little hunter-gatherer in us all. Before humankind settled down and started to make gardens in settlements we were nomadic hunter-gatherers. And June is really the start of the foraging-for-free-food season.

I tend to think that hay fever is the sophisticate’s response to being alienated from this most ancient of activities. One herbalist told me that if you looked out in the countryside you would probably find something to heal whatever ails you within twenty yards of your doorstep.

Since most people go in for lawns these days you probably won’t prove her right if you live in the suburbs or exurbs. But if you can get out into the country in June, the flowering blossom of the elder may just help your hay fever!

Medical herbalists reckon that tea made from the elder flower, sweetened with some local honey, might just ease your hay fever symptoms. Elder is mildly antihistamine, while the pollen in local honey will help acclimatise your immune system so that it won’t be so irritated by pollen.

The blossoms are creamy umbrellas of tiny flowers and the scent is both sweet and slightly astringent. Wine makers prize the flower heads to make elderflower champagne. I use them to make a syrup that can be diluted with sparkling mineral water to make a refreshing soft drink.

The syrup (which includes some lemon juice) is also useful to add to gooseberry jam or jelly. The combination of elderflower with gooseberry is delightful.

June is also the time to start taking inventory of your preserving equipment. You can recycle jars for storing dried herbs like elderflower and meadowsweet for teas. But for making jams, jellies and pickles you really need to consider getting proper canning jars. You also need a really large preserving pan (or stockpot) and a selection of funnels to fit different sizes of jars or bottles.

While it is fashionable to eat ‘seasonally,’ if you don’t want to incur huge food miles it is well worth taking a leaf from our hunter-gatherer ancestors and storing for the winter months when in our cold northern climates there is a dearth of ‘seasonal’ food available. They are the real mentors for teaching us how to live a low impact lifestyle. So we need to make like the squirrels and get foraging and storing!

Editor’s Note: The information in this article is not professional medical advice. Lehman’s makes no claim to the above information. Consult with your physician or another professional healthcare provider before making decisions about natural therapies and/or remedies.

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Memorial Day – a time to stop and remember the ones who have given their lives for our freedom. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation’s Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. For most parts of the country Memorial Day also symbolizes the beginning of the summer season. This weekend is known for a great migration of outdoors activities, family gatherings, camping, picnics, and of course, barbeques.

Entertaining and eating outdoors poses some unique risks and hazards. Good preparation and planning is vital to ensure your outing if both fun and healthy.

The number of food borne illnesses increases during the summer. Here’s why:
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Spring is perfect soup weather. It’s easy, it’s quick, and many times you can leave it to simmer while you work outside. Around my house it is a staple as springtime is very busy on the farm! New baby animals being born, gardens to ready up, tend and plant and lots of other outside chores. Try these recipes on the stove top or in the slow cooker.

Spaghetti and Meatball Soup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 carrot, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
2 small ribs celery chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce or 1 (14-ounce) can plus 1 (8-ounce) can
3 cups chicken stock, available in a box on the soup aisle
1 pound ground beef, pork and veal mix (meatloaf mix)
1/2 cup grated cheese, Parmigiano or Romano, plus more to pass at table
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It’s been a long winter and it’s so exciting to see the trees begin to bud and the flowers pop through the earth. When the girls were younger we used to put up “things to look for in spring” like birds, bugs, flowers and other signs that yes, it’s truly spring. It’s also time to begin planning for what the garden will hold, how much I need to plant to get the yield I might need for my family and friends.

Home food preservation is a strong practice in our community and valued as a tradition in many families. The planning, planting, tending, harvesting and preserving have come to mean many hours of family time together, working and enjoying the fruits of the yield. In the 2002 edition of the Ball Blue Book, there is a wonderful chart to help guide the planning process. It details the number of plants to purchase or plant for what yield. Another chart below  indicates the number of vegetables needed for a family of four, served how many times a week and then a final number of quarts that need to be preserved to achieve this goal. On the Ball web site (freshpreserving.com) under preserving guides they have similar planning charts to help us plan in greater detail the size and scope of our spring planting.
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I am an artist living in the Kidron area. I have the very fun job of painting farm animal murals in Lehman’s Buggy Barn. In the photo above you can see me as I am working on the most recent mural of a the family cow. I choose a Jersey because they are often used by the Amish for that purpose and besides, Jersey’s have the most amazing faces! I love their dished profile and beautiful big, brown eyes. In this photo I painted the faux finish wooden stall earlier and am now about 3/4 of the way thru the cow painting. I would like to paint a barn cat lapping up some milk to go along with this picture. I liked the idea of painting a family cow also because Lehman’s has such a wide selection of products related to the home dairy. You can make all the cheese, yogurt, soap, ice cream and butter you’d want with the milk from your family cow with Lehman’s products! They also have fun things like milking stools, old fashioned milk cans, butter churns, old fashioned wooden butter molds to name a few.

I am having fun with the cow but the big project will be on the back wall. I am planning on painting a couple of belgian draft horses tied to a hitching post. I came across just the right pair to use as a reference a couple days ago at the hitching post across the street from Lehman’s. The horses were positioned just right so I got several photos and even got to talk to their Amish owner and learn their names, Roy and Rex. The Amish often use the belgians for their field work and to pull big wagons. They are quite impressive animals! One of my favorite sights in the spring is to see the teams of work horses plowing in the fields. So check back often so you can see more works in progress of the murals.  When you are in the Kidron store make sure to stop in the buggy barn to say hi to all the critters! To see more of my artwork go to www.suesteiner.com  Thanks for stopping by! 

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