A Brief Winter's Reprieve

Welcome to Wednesday, dear reader. I hope everyone is safe and warm after yesterday's tumultuous weather. Here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, we were battered by high winds, sleet, freezing rain, snow, and finally, just rain. The Bean had her first snow day of the season. She and I took down our Christmas decorations and packed up the holidays for yet another year. As we wrapped our Christmas treasures in bubble wrap and placed them in storage totes, I took the time to tell her the stories attached to each of our Christmas decorations. It's important to me that she knows why I treasure each and every one of the items I have collected in the last fifty years. Many of my decorations are now considered antiques or at least vintage.

One goal I have this year is to write down all my recipes by hand in a recipe book for her. I wish I had copies of my favorite recipes in my grandmother's handwriting. I also want to write down the significance of each of our Christmas ornaments so she can pass on the stories to her children when I am gone. These memories will one day be lost. Without the stories behind the ornaments, they may one day be considered old junk. The monetary value of the object is not as important as the sentimental value of the object. The story and memory are what make them priceless.

Once the festive Christmas décor was down, the house took on the dull, dreary vibe that only a naked house stripped of its festive baubles can take on. It was a bit depressing between the lack of décor and the weather. We lost our power in the late afternoon. The silence that ensues when one loses power is unsettling at first. We take for granted the electrical hum that our homes create, and in their absence, we are given the opportunity to relish the silence. Without the distraction of the television, music, and other electronics, we could focus on quiet activities that we often neglect.

The Bibbed Wonder wandered down to the house from the studio, a bit perplexed without the distraction of work. We all settled in and took a brief nap. Both fireplaces were lit to keep the house cozy. I settled into the sunroom to read by the natural light of the wall of windows and, eventually, by candlelight and firelight. I have secretly desired to read quietly in the sunroom by the fireplace since winter began. With the lack of electricity, I had an excuse to do just that. Eventually, The Bean wandered in with her book, and we sat in amicable silence, lost in our books.

A few hours later, the power was restored, the noisy hum was back, and The Bibbed Wonder was rustling around in the kitchen like a bear newly awakened from hibernation. I had cooked a rather larger-than-normal lunch since we were all home together. So, we all settled on a simple meal of cheese, crackers, fruit, and meat. It was simple, filling, and a nice alternative to cooking a labor-intensive meal. If I am being transparent, it was refreshing to have the winter storm as an excuse to take it easy, slow down, and settle in.

When the power is out, I can't help but think about the lives of those who have come before us. This farm was established in the 1800s, long before electricity was commonplace. The lack of an electrical hum was the norm. Sitting by the fireplace to stay warm and working by candlelight was a daily event. The reality was the lack of running water, central heat, and convenient appliances that simplify life. There is a certain nostalgia for days filled without electricity. Without the distraction of devices and streaming services, we read more, work together to figure out a jigsaw puzzle, enjoy conversations, play games, or work on quiet projects.

Sometimes, I think I could live off-grid and enjoy it. However, I remember how much I appreciate modern life's conveniences. It's nice to turn a dial and set the temperature in the house to seventy degrees. It's lovely to hit a switch and have boiling water at the ready in under three minutes. I like a hot shower, a washer and dryer, and an oven that doesn't require building a fire. A few hours without power are charming, but several hours or days is inconvenient and frustrating. I enjoyed my quiet time yesterday and having an excuse to sit and read. However, today, I am back to regular work.

The Bibbed Wonder and I are working like fools to replenish diminished inventory, prep for fundraisers, and pack orders. None of this would be possible without modern conveniences. Instead, I will view yesterday's storm as a delightful little reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the modern world and secretly look forward to another day when the wind blows, the snow flies, the ice forms, and we have an excuse to sit quietly by the fireplace and imagine life before electricity.

On this blustery January day, stay safe, be smart, enjoy the quiet times, and keep washing your hands.  

Tuesday Spotlight: Honey Yogurt Bee Bar and Milk and Honey Moisturizer

Today, our spotlight is shining on our Honey Yogurt Bee Bar. This is one of my favorite soaps because it is beautiful, smells delicious, and the lather is thick, rich, and dense. The addition of my homemade goat’s milk yogurt and local raw honey makes this soap extra moisturizing and luxurious. Not only is the Honey Yogurt Bee Bar good for your skin, but it is also beautiful and makes a lovely presentation.

The Honey Yogurt Bee Bar is the soap I often give as a gift. The milk and honey fragrance is gentle and appeals to all genders. It’s lovely for people with skin conditions and sensitivities and is one of our most popular soaps. Although the busy gifting season is now over, it is just the beginning of the skin-drying winter season.

For this week only, you can save on bars of the Honey Yogurt Bee Bar and jars of Milk and Honey Moisturizer exclusively on the website. There is no promo code needed for the weekly special. The savings will be applied at checkout. As always, we ship six days a week, and all orders of $50 or more ship for free. For clarification purposes, the subtotal must meet or exceed $50 after the discount to qualify for free shipping. There always seems to be some confusion over this.

On this miserable wintery day, stay safe, be smart, don’t go out on the roads unless you have to, enjoy the savings, and keep washing your hands.

Everyone Deserves A Soft Place To Land

Retirement is the goal that most individuals work toward. Retirement is the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. When one retires, one ceases to work. Retirement means you have put in your time, fulfilled your obligation to be a productive citizen, and met your lifelong quota. When we think of retirement, we envision the remainder of our days spent doing what we want. Retirement means one has no more obligations, no more alarm clock, no more punching a time clock. It's a lifelong goal to spend one's time in a state of rest, relaxation, and contentment.

Here on the farm, retirement means a life spent in green pastures, with herd mates and family, resting, relaxing, being fed a perfectly balanced diet, living the good life, and not having any more babies or making more milk. As my original six girls age out of production, the girls who were born here step into the roles of milk producers, and the OGs spend their days eating, napping, playing, and maintaining their place in the herd hierarchy.

 This year, two of my girls retired from motherhood and milk production. Big Red, aka Honey Belle, has been removed from the breeding roster. Red, by far, gives birth to the biggest, most beautiful babies. Unfortunately, most of Red's beautiful babies are boys. However, we have a few of her daughters here in the herd. Red has been moved to a private pasture with a small hut where she has access to all the good hay, nutritious feed, and mineral blocks her little heart desires. This pasture is safe from amorous billy goats and offers protection from unwanted pregnancies. Red has reached the age where it is no longer safe for her to have babies. She has spent her life in service and has earned a gentle retirement.

Joining Red in the retirement pasture is her daughter, Lily. Although Lily has a few more years of making babies and producing milk, she has suffered from meningeal worms, and her neuro issues are a concern. Lil's back legs were affected by her fight with the meningeal worm. She has a wonderful quality of life, but we see no reason to stress her body with pregnancies and milk production. Lily has given us beautiful babies and gallons of milk over the years. She, too, has earned a soft place to land and will spend her days in quiet retirement with her mama.

We all feel a special connection to our first six girls. These girls are the reason we do what we do. They are why we get to stay together as a family, working to build something that will hopefully serve our family for generations. We could not do what we do without the help and service of our girls. We do not take a stereotypical farmer's approach to our "farm animals." Instead, we view our girls as part of our family. First and foremost, our girls are pets and well-loved. Their health and well-being are the focus of our lifestyle. We don't have a business if we don't have happy, healthy girls.

We don't skimp on caring for our girls, just like we don't skimp on our products or providing customer service. Our farm has a hierarchy, and the girls are at the top. Many farmers would send the girls to auction or market once they have aged out of production. This will never happen to our nannies. Once they reach the age where they can no longer produce babies and milk, they will move to the retirement community, a.k .a. the private pasture. Here, they will receive the best care, quality food, and all the love and cuddles they want until their time with us ends. It's the least we can do for the girls we love who have given us so much.

I view us as stewards rather than farmers. We have been given a wonderful opportunity to spend time with these gentle, loving individuals. They give of themselves without making demands or expectations. The least we can do is honor them in their golden years and provide them with all the love, care, comfort, and nourishment they need. It comes down to appreciation, respect, and decency.

This year, I plan to have a third event here at the farm. We will offer our annual spring and fall events. However, I also have plans to add a retirement party for Red and Lily. I am still in the planning stages of this event, but trust me, as soon as I have the details ironed out, you will be the first to know. It only seems fitting that we celebrate the retirement of these two beautiful creatures and all they have done to enrich our lives. I will keep you posted on the celebration's progress.

On this chilly, overcast January day, stay safe, be smart, celebrate all lives well lived, and keep washing your hands.