CREAMS AND THINGS / Kansas Farm Life / Natural Farm Products / Natural Face Creams

CREAMS AND THINGS

When I was a young girl I often messed around making concoctions with mud and would add flowers and grass.  Most children love to play in the mud and make mud pies.  I made mud face cream.  I rubbed this cream on my dolls and on myself.  My folks had an old barbecue pit in the back yard.  When no one was watching( I thought), I would build a fire and make a pot of flower water and mud into tea.  I drank the tea and served my dolls.   I guess making creams and lotion was a passion with me.  Now I make real creams without chemicals and with organic and natural oils.  Today the purity of creams are really in the hands of the manufacturer and the laws that protect us from some of the chemicals do not apply to all makers of creams and lotions.  Many products do not tell the consumer what is really in the product. That’s why I now make creams and lotions that are without chemical preservatives.  The problem with no chemicals, is that the creams keep much longer if refrigerated.  This seems easy enough to do and the beauty benefits are so much more achievable.  Making Mud Creams have brought me to this new line of  Real Pure Facial products.  WOW !  There is a Creator who gave us all we need in His creation for our health and healing.

WHAT IS THAT IN THE SKY? / Kansas Farm Life / Mid West Farming

WHAT IS THAT IN THE SKY?

Have you ever noticed the long trails of spray that comes out of some of the jet airplanes?   I’ve been looking upward more now since I’ve seen these long trails criss cross like a Tick Tack Toe board in the sky above the farm.  If you  watch for awhile, these white, cloudy trails will completely cover the length of the sky, begin to spread out and look like cirrus clouds.  I watched several planes, ( at least I think they are normal planes, they are so far up in the sky they look like little dots) as I came home the other day, spreading white trails of something, I’m sure it’s not normal, right in front of the sun as it was setting.  I counted 9 trails.  In California they sprayed our area with a chemical to kill a fly that was killing the fruit trees.  This seems similar but to a greater degree and much higher in the sky.   Even this morning when I went early to give the calves their bottles, long trails were stretching across the dark sky. If any of you have knowledge about these things maybe you could share.  Very Concerned. Thanks

THREE IS MORE THEN ENOUGH / Kansas Farm Life / Mid West Simple Living

THREE IS MORE THEN ENOUGH.  Our goat Ginger had her kids the other day.  It was when Brian went to milk when he heard the sound of the babies crying.  Ginger had three kids again this time.  I went up to clean them off and see what they were.  Two males and one doe.  That night we thought all were nursing and doing fine.  The next day I went to check on them in the afternoon.  One kid looked nearly dead.  He was still and lying stretched out while the others were warm and sleeping.  I picked up this little one, so mad at myself for not checking earlier. Took him to the house and I forced him to drink the colostrum I had taken from his mother.  He didn’t try to suck, only was freezing cold and limp.  Eva and Isabelle held him near the fire place and kept trying to get some colostrum down his throat.  Miracles still happen! AT 2:30AM I heard him crying and I gave him more milk. 

The next morning he was up on his feet, and Naomi held him the rest of the day until we had to put him in the barn.  

Adelaide is here today and Prince Nibbles is now everyone's favorite baby.  Prince Nibbles will be Adelaide’s 4-H project for next years fair.

UPON THE ROOF! / Kansas Farm Life / Mid west small farm / Simple Living

UPON THE ROOF!  Kansas doesn’t have mountains or snow covered peeks but up on the roof the view is spectacular!  The clouds seemed closer and the air fresher upon on the roof.  The day Brian needed help laying black paper over the old boards on the roof of the new barn addition Kathy and I climbed the ladder to help. 

The wind was howling that afternoon and the rain was expected soon.  We held the paper in place and handed nails to Brian.  What an awesome time we had, our hair blowing and eyes beginning to water as we laughed so hard remembering how we were as little girls on our fathers farm in California. We forgot we were grandmothers with graying hair and aching knees even Brian had a good time listening to our stories.  

The Reid ranch looked so beautiful with the cows and goats grazing as the day turned to dusk.” One more nail,” Brian said.  The job was finished for now, but oh how much fun we had on the roof.

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Thanksgiving 2010 / Music from the Reids

 

How was your Thanksgiving?  Being thankful for our blessings is so important.  Now days with all the talk of how inflation is soon to be at our doors, and how we need to prepare for the deflation of the dollar, it’s good to be with family and friends to enjoy the comfort of laughter and great food and not think of the troubles our nation is in for awhile. 

We had a grand time around the table at our daughters house eating and  remembering past Thanksgivings at my mothers house when the children were small.  Those Thanksgiving meals meant so much to me because of the music and how the children were involved in sharing a song.  That’s when we learned to make the house ring with music and that musical desire continues even today.

Singing at Thanksgiving 2010

NEW CALVES AT THE RANCH / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products

 

New calves at the ranch.  Stanley is a Jersey bull calf and Co Co was born Monday the 8th of November.  This is Trisha’s first calf and we are so happy to start to have her part of the cow herd. 

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WALTER / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products / English Shepherd Farm Dog

 

Walter is the name we have given our new 10 week old puppy.  Many days out of the year, the cows will not be ready to come to the barn when Brian is ready to milk,even though they are on a 12 hour schedule. Brian has to walk the fields to fine the cows and encourage them to come in.  Walter, an English Shepherd, an old breed of farm dogs, will help Brian bring the cows in from the pasture when he grows up.  He will help with predators, and just be a good working dog and companion for Brian.  He is so smart and already has learned the command to come and stay. Brian has had a lot of dog training experience.  When he was a young man working as a  security guard for a college in Pasadena, California,  Brian and the other guards spent much time training German Shepherds to help them work at night on the college grounds.  Brian’s dog was  Lad.  He would obey arm and hand signals from many distances away.  Never a word was spoken. This education Brian has should help make Walter in to a  terrific dog. 

Carolyn

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EVA and JETHRO / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products

 

Eva our grand daughter helped her Grand father for most the week-end.  She stayed up on the roof and handed him nails and held boards in place.  She is nine, and loves the outdoors and can be a bit eager but will stick with a challenge.

Brian held her on Jethro  our donkey, for awhile and she wants to ride alone.  Jethro is a pain. He is always in the way and wants to eat your sandwich, drink your coffee, pull on your coat and push at your shoulders.  He means well, but can be obnoxious.

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INCREDIBLE HUSBAND Kansas Farm Living / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products

 

It’s incredible what my husband is capable of at his 65 years of age.  He climbs the ladder to the roof and walks the planks high in the air.

 

I can’t watch!  He holds the trusses with one hand and hammers the nails with the other.  These trusses are made with this old lumber, probably 100 years old, and is much heavier then new lumber.  Without the boom truck I don’t think this addition would have been possible.

When the trusses were all done and nailed in place, my sister Kathy and husband Dave stacked 1x6x8 feet boards on to the trailer( no board was exact) so Brian could use them to cover the trusses. Each board is unique and needs trimmed or cut to fit in the spot Brian has picked for it.

 

It took Brian several days to complete the roof, but oh how good it looks.

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MILK BARN ADDITION Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farm / Natural Farm Products / Using Recycled Lumber

 

Brian is building an addition to the milk barn to help the cows with their caving this winter.  It will give them a space to get out of the cold so the calves will be safer.

 

The barn addition is being built using that old lumber taken from houses Brian took down many years ago.

Dave’s old truck with the boom on it that he designed several years ago, has been a life saver.  Each board is winched up and held in place while Brian nails it down.  Dave added an extra height to the boom so it would make it easier for Brian when on top of the roof.

The building process is slower then when using old, weathered lumber, but it is looking so fine.  The money we save makes it so well worth it.

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Gurney, June & Mae / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming

Gurney, June and Mae our wonderful cows, all will have calves in the dead of winter. 

Moonlight, the Jersey bull, was only 12months old when he began his romance with our girls and now we are looking toward a calving round up in two or three feet of snow.  You might say “ What a bull!,” or you might say, “ How could you leave him alone with those cows?” How ever you look at it, we’re in for a interesting winter.  Oh the extra milk!

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WINTER IS COMING SOON / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming

Winter is coming soon!  The weather is really nice now but the scent of winter is approaching, you can feel it as the wind touches everything and the grasses turn brown. 

Here in Kansas we have distinct seasons. Fall is in full bloom, leaves changed to red and gold and are falling off the trees and the mornings are chilly. 

“US Fall 2010”

I brought in the last peppers and tomatoes from the garden before the hard frost. I put three tomato plant in pots to set in the living room at the windows facing south, in hopes that I’ll receive a fresh tomato in winter.

There is so much yet to do before the snow flies.  I painted all three decks all by myself, haha.  They look really good but I’ll have to repaint next year I suspect.  We’ll have to cover the windows on the chicken houses soon and cut more wood for the fire place.  We need gravel for the driveway and to go behind the house so we can get out after a heavy snow.

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What A Cow! / Mid West Farm Life / Carolyn’s Natural Soap

Becky the cow, remember her?  She had not been milked for 6 months and as far as we could tell, was pregnant and her calf was due in October.  Well, her udder filled up and was so swollen Brian had to milk her to relieve the pressure.  Long story short, she is not pregnant and is being milked twice daily and giving rich Jersey milk.  The Vet said, “ she could have a bad ovary that could be looked at.”  Anyway she is healthy and happy and beautiful to look at.  We’d love to have a calf from her but she doesn’t need to have a calf to freshen, haha.  What a cow!

Summer is coming to an end

 

How is everyone out there doing?  I haven’t blogged for sometime and have a lot to share.  The horrible heat wave of summer seems to be over for now.  We got another heavy rain couple days ago and we needed it badly.  The rains have come often enough to keep the grass growing so the cows are still happy.  Grass fed animals seem to thrive on fresh damp grass.  The dew has been thick for the last few mornings and our girls would rather eat then come to the barn for milking.  The milk is so sweet and full of rich cream.  What a blessing in these difficult days, to have good milk provided right here on the farm.

 

Carolyn Reid

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Don’t let the years slip by become alive / Mid-West Farm Life / Carolyn’s Natural Soap

Time just slips away.  We moved into our new farm house two years ago and I can’t believe we have been in our beautiful home that long all ready. 

I must start to be faithful to write in a journal so I can remember what goes on day by day and month by month then the years will go slower, I think.  Life is so short and yet so important because every thing we do and say affects another generation.  I hope my steadiness in times of trouble and faithfulness to my husband will help influence our grandchildren in their future.

YOUR VOTE? / Mid-West Farm life

Does your vote really count?  Neither party are really pulling for this countries success.  I believe that unless the person running for office has the spirit and boldness to speak the truth about government and it’s greed and desire to  control men and money, your vote is a squeak in the dark.  The truth is,” you will know them ( the ones running for office and the ones in office) by their fruits.”   Our job is to resist, ( become like a mule) the evils of this big government, and stand and stand, not moving, as you look, and become aware of all who destroy freedom. Just Watch and Listen, you’ll know  who is real.

Carolyn’s Thoughts

LIFE IS A GIFT / Carolyn’s Thoughts / Mid-West Farm Life

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the direction our great country is going ,and it doesn’t look good.  The present President of our country is signing new bills and legislation into law and we don’t even know what they are or how these laws will affect our lives in the near future.

I can’t believe what’s on the TV news and the repeated non important stories told over and over by every news channel.  Are we being mind controlled to some extent by the media? I have real concerns about the future and wonder if any of you do too.  Can we do anything together as communities and friends to take control of our lives and start to build a productive and successful country ? Maybe the elections in November will help. Maybe not.   We could plan for a declining dollar and everything to become to expensive or not available.  Why not preserve our food from the garden or purchased from the Farmers market.  Plan to be ready for a quite time free from traffic and running to and fro to the store and began to enjoy a simpler life.  We really do not know what to expect in the future. It’s better to be prepared for the unknown then  to be caught unprepared.  Life  is a gift and each moment is spiritually guided.  No mater what the future holds we must continue to be positive and aware of how we’re being directed in love and peace.  Just some thoughts from my heart.

by Carolyn

BOY IT’S HOT! / Mid West Farm Life / Carolyn’s Natural Soap

Boy it’s hot!  The temperature is well over 100 degrees today in the shade.   Thank God for air conditioning!  When we lived in the trailer we never felt comfortable in heat like this, but we made it some how.

Brian just came in from milking.  It must be 115 degrees in the milk barn tonight. The things we go through to be self- sufficient and able to help others to enjoy the benefits of good quality food. Sometimes I think we have lost our minds, ha ha.  The good thing is, is that we don’t want to do any thing else and we’re happy to be living this way.  It could be, that what our Great Grandparents went through, living as farmers, has been  passed along through thought and word and placed in our subconscious minds, and has  driven  us some how, to follow in their foot steps. What ever the reasons it seems to be where God has lead us and we will be faith full.

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JOY COMES IN THE MORNING! THE CHICKENS ARE SAVED! / Mid West Farm Life / Carolyn’s Natural Soap

Well. Joy comes in the morning!  Brian got the fox!  Of course he had help. 

Dave has been coming to stand watch for several weeks and the fox has shown his red coat , pointy golden ears, long nose, and bushy white tipped tail over and over again to Dave and Brian, but neither was able to make a clear shot.  

 

One morning after milking and starting to leave the barn, Brian saw the fox run through the tall grass about 50 yards away.  He quickly grabbed his shot gun and crouched behind the green water tank.  As he gazed into the field, to his surprise the fox was looking directly at him and not moving. Even after a few seconds the fox still did not move but continued to stare at Brian. Brian thought, boy, that fox is so brave. So Brian slowly put his rifle to his shoulder and squinted as he looked down the barrel. As he was pointing the gun he could see the foxes’ golden ears poking out from the grasses next to an old hedge post. Brian took a deep breathe, and pulled the trigger,  Boom !!   When the dust settled, Brian went out to see if he got him.  Well, Brian  shot the biggest hole in the hedge pot and the yellow electric fence insulators were blasted full of buck shot.  (The fox was no more the a piece of grass with the shadow of those yellow electric fence insulators.) We laughed so hard together, when Brian told me how he shot the Fox that didn’t move.  What a life !

We are all resting easy now, as we can let the chickens run and eat, free of fear, at least for a while.

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