Thank You Is Not Enough

The Bibbed Wonder with his new bibbed buddy, Ashleigh Bowman.

Springtime At The Farm is in the books for 2024. Although the week leading up to our farm event was gorgeous, Saturday's weather was a little disappointing. Despite rain in the morning, you all braved the chance of showers and chilly temps and came out to support us and our small business owner friends. You all are rock stars. Our farm events are hands down our favorite events. Although The Bibbed Wonder and I tried to greet everyone, thank everyone and make everyone feel welcome, there were quite a few we did not get a chance to talk to and thanked. Please know how very much we appreciate your support.

The day's highlights are too many to list, but a few of my favorites were seeing so many friendly, familiar faces. However, we were thrilled to meet and see quite a few new faces. Two of my favorite people, Ed and Susan, staunch supporters, were here. We also enjoyed seeing friends we met at the Shaker Woods Festival right here on our farm. This sweet couple traveled from Washington County, stayed overnight in Indiana, and made a weekend of it. The people make what we do worthwhile, and I am so grateful to you all.

With the rain came a bit of mud. The Bibbed Wonder had to bring out his handy tractor to help unstick a few stuck friends. The mud made for interesting conversations, and driving skills and four-wheel drives were tested. Mud is part of farm life, and our soap family got to experience this firsthand. A few incidents had me biting my nails and saying, "Oh, my!" under my breath, but all was well.

After a wonderful day of chatting and making new friends, my friends Tricia and Carlene stayed for a cup of coffee and a donut. Once almost everyone was gone for the day, I let my chickens out of their coop to forage and stretch their legs. Carlene asked if we were willing to give her a rooster. The Bean chimed in without hesitation with a resounding YES! Carlene, Jenna, and Jordan commenced trying to catch Roderick, our young white rooster. I wish I had recorded those three chasing down that chicken. Carlene assured me that the audio alone was recording-worthy. My friend Carlene will turn seventy-five this year, but the twenty-three-year-old and fifteen-year-old had difficulty keeping up with her. We all laughed over their antics, and Jenna got the gold medal for catching the elusive Roderick.

Jenna, the chicken catcher, wisely sealed Roderick in a box with tape. Carlene drove him without incident to his new home in Maryland. Carlene called me to let me know everyone made it home safely. She was not assaulted by an escaped rooster on her ride home. Roderick is smitten with his new brides, and they are with him. It is a win for everyone. Roderick has a beautiful new home where he will be cared for and loved. The Bean has one less rooster to worry about, and The Bibbed Wonder has one less rooster crowing in the barn during the morning milking to complain about. All is right with the world.

Once we settled in for the evening, several of my vendor friends reached out to me, thanking me for the day. Each one had a story to share about some lovely person or persons that they had met. They all said what a wonderful crowd we draw, how supportive our soap family is to everyone, and how they are impressed with the people who attend our events. We feel loved and supported on the days we host our farm events, but it is our soap family who are truly magical. We could not do what we do without you all and we are so grateful you have chosen to be part of our circle. I say all the time I appreciate you, but words cannot express the appreciation, gratitude, and love that we have for our soap family. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

On this May day, stay safe, be smart, please know how grateful I am for you all, and keep washing your hands.

Foodie Friday: Breakfast Casserole With Sausage and Hashbrowns

Now that it is springtime and the days are longer, my hens are once again producing eggs. I have an extraordinary amount of eggs in my refrigerator. I pawn them off on friends, family, and the friends of friends and family, but I have more eggs than I know what to do with or wish to eat. My girls lay beautiful eggs. Their eggs range in color from blue to dark brown, dark brown with speckles, green, and beige. Looking at my egg-gathering basket filled with colorful eggs makes me happy. However, looking at a refrigerator overflowing with lovely eggs in cartons makes me wish I had more friends.

Not only do I have an extraordinarily large amount of eggs, but I also have a large chest freezer and a half filled with The Bibbed Wonder's pasture-raised pork. The pork is delicious, and nothing pairs better with eggs than pork products, but one tires of sausage and eggs fairly quickly. I know there are far worse problems to have than an overabundance of delicious, farm-fresh food. Finding new and creative ways to utilize this delicious, farm-fresh food has become somewhat of a mission.

Our family enjoys an "egg-based" meal at least twice a week. I have made baked eggs, egg sandwiches, eggs benedict, bacon and eggs, eggs in a nest, quiche, frittatas, and omelets. The Bean has decided eggs have gone the same path as soup, and she is beginning to protest egg-based meals in earnest. Sigh. I am indeed going to have to make more friends to give eggs to in order to keep my child happy. However, until that happens, we will eat a steady diet of eggs.

This week, I made a recipe that received compliments and a smile, and, most rewardingly, my kid ate a second helping of the dish. Although I was given a backhanded compliment about the dish, I consider it a win. I made a breakfast casserole with a hashbrown base, sausage, and eggs. The Bean informed me, "This is good mom. I don't usually like eggs or casseroles, but this is really good." See, I told you it was a backhanded compliment. The proof, however, was when she served herself a second generous helping and didn't complain while she was eating it. Ah, life with teenagers.

My inspiration for this dish is Jordan's appetite for hashbrowns. Of course, the child loves anything with potatoes and deep-fried. I had hashbrowns, sausage, eggs, and cheese on hand, so I thought I could do something with it all. It turned out to be an easy meal—definitely not one pan, but still easy. My recipe is as follows:

Hashbrown and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

-1 bag of frozen hashbrown potatoes

-1 dozen eggs

-2 cups of milk

-1 tsp. garlic powder

-1 tsp. onion powder

-1 green onion, chopped

-1 lb. loose sausage (I like salt and pepper sausage)

-2 cups of shredded cheese (I used Havarti)

-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

-Brown and crumble the sausage; drain the fat and set aside

-In the same skillet, brown the hashbrowns ( you may need to add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan)

-Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with oil or non-stick cooking spray

-When the hashbrowns are brown and crisp, add them to the baking dish

-Top the hashbrowns with the cooked sausage

-In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, spices, and green pepper

-Pour the egg mixture over the hashbrowns and sausage

-Top with the cheese and salt and pepper to taste

-Bake uncovered in a 350 degrees preheated oven for 30-40 minutes

-Let stand for five minutes before serving

I served this with a simple fruit salad to round out the meal.

In our house, we eat breakfast for dinner regularly. Although it feels like too much effort to create elaborate meals most mornings, breakfast dishes make quick, easy, and delicious dinners. This recipe is a delightful way to use up a dozen eggs quickly. Unfortunately for The Bean, egg-based meals will be a staple of our menu until the hens once again slow down in their egg production or her introverted mother makes more egg-eating friends. My money is on a steady diet of eggs (insert a wink and a smile here).

On this beautiful, sunny day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy simple and delicious food, don't cook tomorrow, and come see us at 493 Tonkin Road, Indiana, PA. for a Frank's Red Rocket Burger. And, of course, keep washing your hands.

Looking Forward To Springtime At The Farm

Saturday is fast approaching, and we are doing our best to prepare for our Springtime At The Farm event from 9 to 1 at 493 Tonkin Road, Indiana, PA. I continue to watch the weather forecast, hoping for the perfect day, but we may be dealing with scattered showers. We will hold our event rain or shine. Please keep your fingers crossed that the rain holds off or blows over completely. Stressing about things I can’t control is what I do. I must admit, I am feeling a bit anxious about this Saturday. I am praying it is not a complete washout. Regardless of the weather, my small business owner friends epitomize professionalism, and they will do their very best to ensure coming out rain or shine is worthwhile.

I gently suggest that if you plan to come out (and I hope you do), you dress for the weather on the farm. Wear your rubber boots, bring an umbrella, and wear a jacket with a hood. Good grief, I have turned into an overly fussy grandmother-type worrying about dressing properly. Sigh. I guess it’s what one does when one cares. Hopefully, the rain will not be heavy or blowing. Each of our vendors will be under tents. This group is experts at outdoor events, and everyone knows how to deal with various weather-related issues. Small business owners are a resilient and adaptable lot.

I looked at my calendar this morning and realized that Saturday is the beginning of our market season. Beginning on Saturday, we will not have a weekend without an event until mid-October. Our market season will start here at the farm, then Ligonier Country Market, The Shaker Woods Festival, and a sprinkling of events organized by our friends. It is our busy season, and ready or not, in-person shows are here. We will do our very best to be prepared. I am excited to showcase our new foaming hand soap scents. I have a bottle of our honeysuckle-scented hand soap at my kitchen sink. Each time I wash my hands, I inhale deeply and smile at the lovely scent that lingers on my hands. I am trying to convince The Bibbed Wonder that the honeysuckle scent should become part of our permanent collection. We have made four batches of honeysuckle-scented bar soap, which might get us through the first few weeks at Ligonier. What do you think, dear reader? Should honeysuckle be a permanent fixture?

Our farm event is a showcase of our new spring-inspired scents. Honeysuckle, lilac, lily of the valley, and osmanthus flower blend that I have called Devotion, and rose and grapefruit blend that I have named Summer Rose will be displayed and ready for your sniffing pleasure. Also, our two new foaming hand soap scents, almond, and honeysuckle, will be available. Our events showcase our latest products and our many talented small business friends. The list of vendors is as follows:

Food Vendors:

Aunt Julia’s Donuts

Broken Locust (Herbal Teas)

Frank’s Red Rocket

Lone Oak Farm

My Wellness Cafe

Simply The Best Kettle Corn

Artisans:

Ashleigh Bowman Artwork

Buds To Blooms

Canine Confections

Color To Dye For

Rooted In The Forest

Pamela Jean Creations

Lulu Lux Jewelry

PrAiry Girl

Our friend, Mrs. Nut Roll, had to cancel due to health issues. We are keeping Sharon and her family in our thoughts and prayers. Every year, I am amazed at how many wonderful people have been brought into our lives. I never thought goats and soap could have many positive outcomes. We hope you can join us to celebrate the spring season. Our fields are filled with baby goats, the lilac bush beside the barn is blooming, the wild honeysuckle is in bloom, the lily of the valley patch on my walking path is beginning to bloom, the fields are green, and the oak trees are showing young leaves. It’s a beautiful time of year to be in the countryside. I hope you can join us, meet our friends, eat delicious food, and support this hardworking community of small businesses. We are genuinely looking forward to seeing everyone. Please don’t allow the weather to inhibit your attendance. Even in the rain, the farm is beautiful this time of year.

On this lovely, summer-like day, stay safe, be smart, we can’t wait to see you at our farm on Saturday, we hope you come out to enjoy the day, and keep washing your hands.