Henry Making Hay

Not a whole lot of excitement in our neck of the woods this week.  Feels like we’re into summertime now.  Today especially.  Our thermometer is reading 91 degrees, and it’s pretty humid, but the strong breeze makes it quite tolerable.  Seemed like a good day for getting some photos of my favorite subjects, and it worked out well.  Nearest Swartzentruber neighbor Henry H. and his boys were putting up the hay they had cut a couple days ago, and further down the road, Sam H. was mowing his hay field, while his sons put up a new gate in the pasture across the road.  

I wanted to get a series of pictures while Henry and the boys loaded hay onto their wagon, without them knowing I was around.   There’s a wooded area beside the field, so I stuck some leaves in my hat, and hunkered down behind some underbrush.  The green shirt I was wearing blended nicely with the leaves.  Then I waited, and got some nice shots.  I only wish my camera had been set on video for what happened next.  

I’ve always thought the fully loaded hay wagons look pretty precarious, and have wondered if they ever lose their load.  I found out today that they do.  Henry and one son were on top of a load, and almost ready to unhook from the hay loader and head for the barn.  Suddenly the top third of the load, along with the two of them tumbled rapidly to the ground.  They landed on their feet, but a loud, long shout of aggravation immediately ensued.  I can’t blame Henry for his reaction.  It’s hot, hard work loading the hay, and now a big pile was on the ground.  They stood there for a little bit, then decided to go ahead and make another round in the field to get a full load again, while the pile stayed on the ground to be loaded later.  Again, the still-fresh frustration led to a loud, lengthy, throaty shout at the horses to proceed.  G-I-D-D-Y-U-P!!   And away they went.

This wasn’t the first incident that I wish I could have recorded  Earlier, when I had driven down the road in the car, Henry and the boys were completing a load, and they stood on top of the hay, high above the ground.  They were near the road, a ways ahead of me.  The wind was blowing pretty hard, and Henry’s hat sailed from his head - carried much higher by the wind before plummeting onto the road a short distance ahead of me.   I was going to stop and retrieve it for him, but one of the boys beat me to it.  Yep, farming has it’s challenges, but especially so when you see how the Swartzentrubers must do it.  Makes me appreciate the lives of my agrarian Grandparents.  They farmed like this too.  I think that’s the main reason I so enjoy observing the Swartzentruber Amish farmers.  Living history - right before our eyes.

From the Jericho suburbs of Kidron, Ohio, hope you had a good week.  Now have  a wonderful weekend!  So long.

Strawberries!

It is strawberry season!  Every year we look forward to fresh local strawberries, and here we are.  Sure, we can buy them most anytime at the supermarket, where they’ve been shipped in from far-away places.  Those are big and firm, and just sort of okay.  If you want the deep red, full-flavored strawberries, they need to come right from the patch to the table - not grown as a hybrid bred specifically for standing up to shipping long distances.

The last couple days as I’ve driven through the countryside, there are so many Amish families selling fresh strawberries that it makes me wonder if competition will drive down the prices.  I paid $2.50 per quart for ours, but I’ve also seen some for $2.75 and $3.00.  Those are all good prices compared to the local supermarkets.  When I bought mine, the young woman apologized for the size.  The berries were maybe a little smaller than normal for early season.  (As the season nears the end, you expect smaller berries.)  Anyway, she said, “We haven’t had rain for a while, so the berries are smaller than usual.”  Then she grinned mischievously and went on, “But you get more berries this way.”  Yes, you do.  (And a little more work.)  But that’s okay.  They’re delicious!

For the next two or three weeks we’ll be enjoying the berries whole and in pies, but most of them will be crushed and poured generously over Buttermilk Crumb cake.  (Forget shortcake.  Buttermilk Crumb Cake buried under fresh strawberries is to die for -  almost.)  Sorry, secret recipe.  Just kidding.  Actually, we’ll include it at the bottom, and also share some pictures that’ll get the ‘ol mouth watering.

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I guess we all know about moving companies like Mayflower, Atlas Van Lines, etc.  I suppose most of us have even heard of the moving company called Two Men and a Truck.  Well, today some movers went past my house.  I don’t know anything about them, and they had no signage or phone numbers displayed, but it seems appropriate to imagine a name for them.  Two Amish and a Wagon.  They went clip-clopping down the road, and I went after them to capture some pictures.  

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Remember those mushrooms I showed you a couple weeks ago.  You gave me good advice.  “Don’t eat them!”  So I didn’t.  The old adage is a good one, “If in doubt, don’t.”  However, I learned that they are safe to eat. They are called Mica Cap. (Coprinellus micaceus).  They’re found where wood is rotting beneath the surface of the soil.  I haven't tried them yet, but hope to soon.  They need to be harvested before the gills begin turning dark - and that happens within a couple hours after they first appear.  If you don’t hear from me again, just figure the mushrooms were not identified properly.

Now for the Buttermilk Crumb Cake recipe:

4 C flour

2 C sugar

1 tsp. Cream of tartar

1 C butter (slightly softened)

Mix these ingredients and measure 1 to 1-½ C into another bowl. Set aside.  This will be the “crumb” topping.

Now add the following:

1-½ C buttermilk

1 tsp. Soda

1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix and put into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan, level it, and add the crumb topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Check with toothpick.

Enjoy it warm with lots of strawberries.  

Just out of the oven.

Food for royalty!

Family picking the berries

From Kidron, Ohio.  Hope your week was a good one.  Have a wonderful weekend.  So long.