Spring Time in Western Nebraska

Awww... you gotta love springtime in Western Nebraska.  One day it is sunny, warm and a beautiful 70 degrees outside.  The next day... it could be snowing and 32 degrees with wind and the schools are either closed or have late starts!

This was the case last week on March 18th.

Although the cows didn't seem to mind.  They were still able to find the luscious green spring grass even under the snow.

One was even starting to roll a snowball with her nose!  Later that day when we came back from town the girls had constructed a snowman!!!!  

Just joking, but wouldn't that have been fun?

German Sausage Chowder

Quick post to add to your Open A Bar 2 Ranch recipes.  I think I should start a little cookbook... in my spare time.  Those who know me know that will not happen any time soon!

Just Breathe and Live.

In keeping with my resolution in my last post I grabbed my camera, walked down our driveway the other night and snapped these pictures of the sunset just at the most opportune time.  Sunsets are soooo beautiful here, don't you agree.  One of my favorite features of Western Nebraska is our wide open spaces which allow for such spectacular views as this just outside our door.

As I was walking back to the house I could hear a few Canadian geese honking down at the neighbors pond.  Not sure what they were talking about, but I imagine they were talking about their day while enjoying themselves effortlessly floating around in the water.  Maybe they were also talking about how beautiful the sky was.  A meadowlark greeted me with his distinctive call.  It almost sounded like he said "Nice to see you outside again.  You've been missing the best part of life!"  I replied back, "Nice to see you too.  I've missed your beautiful song and didn't realize it until just now when I heard it."

Stop Putting Off "Things" Until You Have Time

I've been waiting for this day all week long.  There has been a huge flock of snow geese in the neighborhood all week long.  Every morning I watch them and think how I'd love to go out there and get pictures, but talk myself out of it because I need to get ready for work.

Knowing that I had today off, I voiced my wish every single morning as I mourned out the window, that they would hang around until today so that I could take pictures.  Just ask Dan the Man, he heard me every single morning...  "I sure hope they hang around until Friday so that I can try to get pictures."

With the excitement and anticipation of a young child on Christmas morning, I found myself wide awake at 4 am, giddy with the thought that it was Friday morning and with God's grace, the geese would be waiting for me.  I lay in bed trying to fall back a sleep telling myself I was such a goober if this is what brings me excitement.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, ding-dong, ding-dong went the chimes on the clock in the living room.  It seemed like hours but daylight finally came.  I jumped out of bed and ran to the window.  YES!  They were there waiting for me.  Knowing that I wanted to wait for better light which would come in an hour I stumbled to the computer to get a few work related things done before I went out.

After an hour or so I went back into the livingroom and looked out the window.  GASP!  Oh no, say it isn't so Joe!  Yep, the geese were gone.  What the heck happened?  The pond was white with them an hour ago.  My gaze turned a 1/4  to 1/2 mile or so to the west and there I found the flock sitting in a field.  My heart had fallen to my toes, but was gradually coming back up to at least my knees.  All was not lost.  I could still try to get out to that field and snap a few shots.  Wouldn't be as nice as the pond, but would suffice.

Then I got to thinking that perhaps something had startled them from the pond and they might go back.  So I decided to go ahead and jump in the shower real quick and see if that was the case when I got out.

As soon as I got out of the shower I once again returned to the window.  The geese had not gone back to the pond but were still in the field.  If I hurried and got dressed, surely, I could get a picture or two.  As I was putting on my shoes I noticed movement out the window.  A few of the geese were flying over our house.  I looked over to the field and could begin to see a swirling white with black flecks whirlwind starting to take shape and ascend into the bright clear blue sky.  I held my breath as half of the geese took flight.

"They're leaving..." I cried to Dan the Man who as still in bed.  Well maybe not all of them will leave.  Dan the Man informed me that I should have gone first thing when I got up.  That was such a comforting bit of advice.  Like I didn't already know that...

As I stood at the window, left shoe in hand and face pressed against the cool glass, the remaining geese took flight and there were no more.

I sadly watched them gracefully fly off to the south towards the bluffs and my shoe fell to the floor.

I have tomorrow off and Sunday off as well so not all is lost.  However, I will not be home tomorrow morning to try again.  Hopefully I will have another chance on Sunday.

I am almost 50 years old now.  And you would think by now, that I would have learned my lesson.  If you want to do something, do it, do it now.  Chances are the world will not end because you took time to do.  If you wait until you have time, the moment might not be there.  I can recall countless times when I have wanted to photograph something but have not taken the time to do it either because I was on my way to do something else or was busy doing something and did not want to take the time.

One of those times was last year when I was driving home from a long day at work.  The sun was starting to set and the sky was beautiful.  The wind was not blowing and it was a gorgeous day.  As I was crossing the river I just happened to look down at the water and there crossing in the shallows were a doe and her two fawns.  Who is to say I could have got a shot, but now I will never know because I just kept going.


I also lament after family gatherings when I don't get a group shot or at least a picture of everyone present.  Those times will never happen again and pictures can preserve those memories for generations to come.

So starting today, I will try my best to stop and take time.  Take time for beauty, love, friendships, my family and most importantly my God.  I encourage you to do the same if this post at all struck a cord with you!

Delicious Zuppa Toscana

I know I have not been a faithful blogger for quite some time now, but I would really like to change that.

If I set goals, maybe I can rectify my lack of posts.

So, the first goal that I am setting is to post a recipe once a week that will highlight one of Open A Bar 2 Ranch's premium all-natural beef.

This week I would like to feature our all new Italian Sausage.  It is yummy and so versatile.  Not only is it delicious any most any pasta recipe, but it can stand alone as the star topping on a pizza!  Italian Sausage is also awesome for soups.

I will be sampling this soup, made with Open A Bar 2 Ranch Italian Sausage at the Scottsbluff Winter Farmers' Market this Saturday from 11am-2pm.  The market is held in the greenhouses at Aulick's TLC on 3109 Avenue B in Scottsbluff.  You can pick up a package of sausage at the market on Saturday OR we also have our all-natural beef at Hometown Harvest Cooperative at 1214 Center Avenue in Mitchell.

If you think this blog post is a big fat plug for Open A Bar 2 Ranch, you would be correct!

But I promise I will try to post more things about the goings on around the ranch.  I know some of you like those stories better than the recipes.

Enjoy!

Who Cares What the Fox Say?

We have a new visitor on the ranch and one that is not so welcome here in our part of the woods.  Although it is fun to look out the back window and see a fox frolicking in your backyard, it is also quite unnerving knowing that he or she is probably trying to figure out a way to devour your entire flock of hens.

It is also quite unnerving to see a fox and have that stupid song "The Fox" (What Does The Fox Say?) immediately come to mind.  If you haven't heard it, do not, I repeat, do not google it and watch it on YouTube.  It is not worth your time and you will never be able to view foxes the same after you hear the song.  I guarantee you, you will hear that song in the back of your head everything you see a fox.  Don't do it my friends, I am warning you.

I have seen this guy on two separate occasions now.  Once trotting down our driveway one morning and then again on Thanksgiving morning right in our backyard.  I took these pictures from my kitchen window.  He wasn't very concerned about his surroundings or my movement in the window which concerns me.  Most animals I see in the backyard immediately see me in the window because it is a large window and run away.  This guy was wandering around, sniffing here and there, went under the shed, and rubbed his face in a little pile of snow.

I was wondering if he was washing his face after devouring one of my chickens for Thanksgiving dinner but after I snapped his picture, Chris went outside to make sure the chickens were still safe in the coup.  They hadn't been let out yet.  We haven't lost many of our chickens to predators since we do secure them at night in the coup.

I haven't seen him since and I can't say that I am sad.  Like I said, although they are fun to see, I'd really rather not see them on my property, at least not so close to my chickens.

Recipe for Butternut Squash Soup

Don't anyone faint, but I am actually going to (at least try to) start blogging again!

Why you may ask?

Simply because I miss it and because of my passion for local food and wanting to share it with like minded people AND because funny stuff happens in my life.  I like to share these stories to give others a chuckle every now and again.

So here goes...

First I have to catch some of you up on an exciting local foods cooperative that has opened in Mitchell.  If you are not familiar with Hometown Harvest, here is the website.  If you live in the area and haven't been there... what are you waiting for?

http://hometownharvest.coop/

And their Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/HometownHarvestCoop

So for this post's recipe...

I made it last night so let me try to recall the recipe.  I rarely cook with a recipe book because I hate to be told what to do and don't like to follow rules.  I am a meal makin' renegade!

Let's see... how should I do this?  Do you want the instructions first or should I do it more in a recipe fashion?

Let's try to do the recipe fashion.

What you need:
1/2 stick butter (PS, I rarely measure so you won't need measuring cups!)
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
4oz pkg Shiitake Mushrooms (sliced)
4 cups or so of Chicken Stock (homemade or organic)
1 or so cup of white wine (not necessarily necessary, but I think it adds nice flavor and is nice to sip on while you are making the soup!)
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream (told you I don't measure, I just spooned some in)
1/2 to 1 cup cream cheese (again, just spoon some in)
Pepper
Curry powder

I think that's it.

In your favorite soup pot (please tell me you have one, if not, get one!  I love my Lodge Dutch Oven 6 Quart Porcelain Enamel, google it) melt the butter, add the onion chopped and saute until translucent.  Add minced garlic cloves and saute for a few more minutes. Add sliced mushrooms.  Should smell heavenly at this point.  Saute some more, probably 3 or 4 minutes.  Who knows how long, maybe you can take a couple of sips of wine, and then it'll be done!

Okay, time to get serious.  Sorry.

Add the squash and saute a little longer, probably 3 or 4 sips...

Now add the chicken broth and wine.  Put the lid on and simmer until squash is softened and can be mashed easily.  Probably 20 minutes depending on how big your "cubes" are.  When the squash is cooked, puree everything in a blender (I use my mother's avocado green blender from the late 70's, works like a charm!).  DO NOT put too much in the blender at one time or the heat from the soup will cause the lid to sky-rocket off like a skyrocket in flight and you will have puree all over the ceiling!  This should be done in "batches".

Pour the puree back in the pot. Add the sour cream and the cream cheese (which you should cube so it will melt faster).  Season with pepper and curry powder.  Heat to serving temperature.

We toasted some jalapeno cheddar bread, buttered it and ate it with the soup.  It was delicious!!!

Okay, want to try it?!  Well, you can get all the ingredients (except the wine, which you really don't even need) for the soup at Hometown Harvest.  Well and the Jalapeno Cheddar Bread, which can be picked up at the Scottsbluff Winter Farmers' Market at Mamma Jane's Artisan Breads.

And just to highlight the LOCAL PRODUCTS used, here is a recap:

* The star of the show, Butternut Squash from Wind Harvest Farms, Henry, NE
* The co-star, the Shiitake Mushrooms from Hazel Dell Mushrooms, Ft. Collins, CO
* The supporting cast, Garlic from Mitchell Valley Farms, Mitchell, NE
* Chicken Broth made from pastured poultry that we raised.  We don't have any for sale, BUT you can purchase pastured poultry from Lazy W Diamond Ranch (Banner County, NE) at Hometown Harvest
* AND last but not least, the special guest star, Jalapeno Cheddar Bread from Mamma Jane's Artisan Breads, Huntley, WY

Enjoy!