Are you a TomBoy? I think I am!

Everyone who knows me realizes that the title of this entry is a "Duh!" moment.  To think that I am "girly" is someone who only sees me at church & doesn't really know me.  The affliction began as soon as I was born, I am sure.  After all, what other girl would rather wear jeans & boots instead of frilly dresses?  This should have been an early clue to my Mom.

No matter how much my Mom wanted it, I was determined to spend every waking moment outside, in the dirt, playing with the cows, riding my horse, raising chickens and showing sheep.  I didn't find the lovely attributes of a curling iron and didn't start willingly wearing dresses until I was in college.  I have progressively become more in tune with my girly side but I haven't felt compelled to get a mani/pedi either.

Nonetheless, I saw an article in the local paper about a new business specializing in organic skin care and personal products.  SO, being the "buy local" advocate that I am, went to their website and looked around.  Tomboy Organic Skincare from Deer Lodge TN!

(I should say at this point that I have sensitive skin and can't use most cleansers or moisturizers because they burn.  This is important because I have yucky, oily skin.)

Long story made short, I ordered a bunch of the facial stuff from their website.  So far, I love it!  I have used everything last night & this morning and my skin feels awesome.  So far, so good!

I will be giving weekly updates to let everyone know how it is working!  In the meantime, please look around their website - the prices are very reasonable & you can be assured of the high quality of the product!

 

 

Until Later, Happy Eating!
Amanda

On a Serious Note...

Being a part of the Ag Community makes me more vigilant about keeping on top of the newest innovations and science trends.  There are a LOT of issues surrounding our Food Growth System that many people are unhappy with.  Unfortunately, we can't make everyone happy.  We can try to produce wholesome food for everyone though.

So my blanket statement for this entry is:  You can't have your cake and eat it too.

When speaking with a group last week about our farm and how we grow food, questions were raised about GM foods, or genetically modified foods.  They railed against Monsanto, expressed their displeasure about GM food and even stated that it was against their religion.  They cited "You are what you eat" and were certain that it they consumed GM foods, the food would genetically modify them.  OK, I can deal with their concerns.  There are lots of local growers who produce food organically that can help these people maintain the clean food that they wish to eat.

I wish that was the end of it...  These same people then lamented the fact that they could not use their food stamps to buy at a Farmers Market.

Ladies & Gents, I am not here to start a fight.  I don't want to alienate people.  I am in NO WAY stating that using Food Stamps is a bad thing.

I am asking each of you to understand our Food Production System and help us help you.  To maintain the amount of food needed to feed America and keep the prices low enough for everyone to afford meat and fresh produce, Farmers need advanced technology to help counteract the instability of soil quality, rainfall, pests and plant disease.  Also, farmers today have to produce the same amount of food on a shrinking amount of land; the same plant must bear 2 to 3 times as much food as the same plant 20 years ago to keep up with demand.  Most of the GM produce being growth has a resistance to disease and insect attack.  Some have herbicide resistance to help control weeds.

I DO NOT advocate implanting animal genes into produce nor produce genes into animals.  

However, please do your research - real science, not propaganda video - and understand how your food is grown.  Ask a Farmer if you have questions - we are ALWAYS happy to talk about what we do!

P.S. - We do not plant any GM produce as we do not grow produce for sale;  we only grow produce for our own freezers.  We produce Beef, Pork & Eggs for sale to consumers.  We do not use growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics.

Until Later - Happy Eating.

Girly Stuff continued...

Somedays, I just don't realize how cool it is to be me!  For instance, take today.  I had the 16 hours of daylight carefully planned to maximize efficiency & productivity.  All scheduled out in my head & on my IPhone.  I love technology!  And when that fails me, I fall back on my incredible intelligence!

Sometimes reality comes crashing down and returns me to my mortal realm.  Seriously, you can't make stuff like this up!

First, I wake up late.  So much for getting a walk or ride in while it's cool.  Mark that off the list.

Second, I leave late for my hair appointment but somehow get there on time - or so I thought.  I wrote my appointment down for today at 10 a.m.  My appointment is ACTUALLY at 12:30 p.m.  Ooops!  Guess I have some extra time on my hands...

SO I go shopping, thrift store style!  I picked up some strainers for honey extraction and found some kitchen stuff that I needed.  I love Electric tea kettles & I found one for $4 -SCORE!  As I was heading out with my new toys, I saw a display of the Topsy Turvy Tomato planters.  I laughed at people until I actually tried one.  They are AWESOME!  So I picked up another 8 of them.  Yes, 8 planters.  They were 50 cents each!!!!  I have already warned Bryan that I may nee a few more shepard's hooks installed (he was not as thrilled about this as I was).

OK, 2.5 hours killed & back to the salon.  I showed Connie a picture of Miranda Lamberts hair & I now have that hairstyle.  Did I mention that Connie is a Miracle Worker?  She is.

On to the DMV - have new license.  Made it through in record time too!  Note to all, the Roane County DMV took 15 minutes to get me processed, photoed & a new license.  They deserve an award.

Then home, where Bryan has almost finished the fencing!  Yippee!  He is the best ever!!  Now I am tackling the MOUNTAIN of laundry that has accumulated during my belated Spring Cleaning.  If you don't hear from me for a few days, assume that the laundry monster has eaten me.  Someone, please publish my memoirs :)

Until Later - Happy Eating!

Oh My! I AM a girl!

Sometimes I think that I and a super robot, mindlessly going through the motions.  I get into such a rut with all of the work that seems to never end - laundry, dishes, feed the animals, "Day Job", driving, grocery shopping, budgeting, pay bills, etc - that I suddenly wake up & realize that I haven't taken time for myself!

So today is now deemed "Amanda #2's Day"!  First, I am going to the salon for a hair makeover.  I actually can't remember the last time I had a trim.  It really has been that long!  Luckily, Connie (my stylist) knows that I am not so vigilant about my hair & tries to cut it so that it still has some style when I forget about it for months on end.  Same thing with Highlights - Connie is just amazing that way!

To celebrate my new hair, I am also going to brave the DMV and get my license redone.  Sadly, I have been married for almost 2 years and I never got the license changed.  Gee, I don't procrastinate or anything...  SO today is the day that I become a "Cross" in the eyes of the TN DMV!

Then, I am going to do some major cleaning out of my house.  Yes - cleaning out!  All of the stuff that we have will be finding a new home in the storage container until I have a house big enough for all of it.  I HATE CLUTTER and I detest having to step over furniture to get from Point A to Point B.  Yes, this means that I will no longer have a dining room table.  Why you ask?  Because the dining table has been a haven for clutter collection since I first moved in - it now has to go :)

Afterwards, I think I will go string fence with the Hubby and then give myself a pedicure...  I might turn out to be a girl after all!

Take me to your Leader(s)

Many of you know that my interest in politics has grown significantly over the past year.  No, I DO NOT want to run for an office - EVER.

However, I do make it a point to pester my elected officials often.  I figure that if they choose to live in the glass fishbowl, the least I can do is tap on the glass to annoy them.  For some reason, they haven't blocked my number yet...

Anywho, please take the following information & keep it close.  We have a duty as Americans to express our opinion - often :)

Until Later - Happy Eating!
--------------------------------------

 How to contact federal and state government officials

The White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Members of Congresshttp://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

• Communicate with members: http://www.congress.org/communicate
• Meet with members: http://www.congress.org/visiting
• Meet with staff: http://www.congress.org/congressional_staff

State officials: http://www.congress.org/legislative_protocol

Local media: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/

Vacation Time!

Dictionary.com describes a Vacation as this:

va·ca·tion

  

[vey-key-shuhn, vuh-]

–noun

1.

a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity,usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday

2.

a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activitiesof law courts, legislatures, etc., are suspended.

3.

freedom or release from duty, business, or activity.

I describe a vacation as WORK!  What was I thinking when I: 1. decided to take a vacation the same week as my husband, 2. took a vacation during the HOTTEST week of the year, 3. thought that taking said vacation would be a relaxing time to get caught up on some things.  Really!  I must be delusional...

So, Bryan and I are both vacating this week.  Since farming takes precedence this time of year, our vacation has been spent putting up hay and ferrying equipment to & from fields.  Fun huh?

Today and tomorrow are "Fence" days.  We (meaning Bryan) decided to re-fence the pastures to (hopefully) keep the cattle (Brownie-cow) where they are supposed to be.  It wouldn't be so bad if:  1. it wasn't 4000 degrees outside with 1000% humidity, 2. the sun shines to my left and it is raining on my right (welcome to TN people!), 3. we didn't live on a Limestone slab and the auger would DIG instead of laughing at us.

Here are some photos of today's folly.  Think of us while you are inside with the AC on & it is dry and cool.  Do the same thing tomorrow too - we get to string barbed wire all day!  Yippee!

               



On a brighter note, my little garden is looking great!  I have pumpkins making progress and are about basketball size, a few watermelons are making themselves seen and HUNDREDS of tomatoes!

                             


Jealous?  No - pity me when I start putting all this produce up in the freezer!  That ought to be at least 4 entries full of crazy...

Until later - Eat well!!

Independence Day!

So, at church yesterday the sermon was certainly laced with patriotic overtures - not that I mind because I am proud of both my country & my faith.  However, the sermon was also about an idea (thought) versus a conviction.  Both entertaining and thought provoking in that philosophical way that I lean toward.

So today, when I am here at the farm alone & can collect my thoughts to form those introspective leanings, I have certainly come up with a few doozies!

First, I am convicted of the notion that we have the most conniving, most manipulative animals EVER that live with us.  I am sure that they could convince any unsuspecting passerby that they are starved, abused and confined to way small of a field.  Bryan and I seem to spend most of our time these days patching up holes in the fence that we didn't realize existed, until Brownie-cow decides to make them prominent.  This is not funny.  Not at all funny.

This is Brownie, a.k.a. Houdini.  She has a pretty sketchy lineage... This could be the source of the problem (hmmm)

Second, I am convicted that my horse is either way smarter than I gave him credit for since he chooses not to follow the cows lead or the dumbest animal in the pasture for not crossing the downed fence.  I choose to believe that he is smart enough to know how mad at him I would be if he thought about it...  I choose not to comment on his natural blond hair being a (possible) factor in this.

 

Lastly, I have a conviction that I am one of the luckiest people alive!  Why you ask?  Because I live in the greatest country in the world.  Because I have the freedom to own land and animals and grow my own food the way that I see fit.  Because I know God loves me and will guide me to be the best person that I can be and to serve Him humbly and gratefully.  Because I have the most wonderful husband whom I love more with each passing day.

Thank you to all of my friends and neighbors for being you and for being free. Thank you to our government representatives.  I pray for you all each day to make the decisions best for our state and our country.

I hope each of you can find a conviction close to your heart and tell the world about it!

Blessings for another day,
Amanda