A Great Way To Prepare Swiss Chard

Chard is still available at our farm and this is just about my favorite way to prepare it.
(compliments of Cookiemag.com)

Swiss Chard from last years garden.

Recipe:
1 bunch of Swiss Chard - washed and drained.

Trim the leaves from the stems and roughly chop the leaves and pat them dry.

Then, in a large skillet saute 2 cloves of minced garlic in olive oil. I use a liberal amount of olive oil, but use what you'd like.

Boil water for linguine (or spaghetti) and cook a good amount al dente - then set it aside.

Next, sprinkle red-pepper flakes into the oil and garlic and saute for about 1 minute.

Add the chard and saute until it's wilted - then remove it from the heat. 

Now, add the pasta. Toss with salt and pepper and then - the fun part - toss a handful of grated Parmesan.

Serve and watch the eyes begin to smile.

If you like you could serve some baked chicken pieces with this - I generally don't. Just a big plate of this along with my home made whole wheat bread.

Posey Surprises Us

Monday was a busy morning. Plum presented us with two sweet new farm babies. See here.

Tuesday morning around 6:15 am, Posey surprised us with the "I can do it all by myself" kind of attitude that we'd totally expect from her.  Posey's always been one of those independent kind of girls and this morning was no different.

After I started morning coffee, I turned on the goat cam sound. Pretty much immediately I heard a new sound...the sound of a new baby goat. Of course I yelled and ran . . . Michael on my heels.

One little girl all dried off, sitting up like a princess and another baby - a very tiny baby - wet - lying on it's side about 4' away - looking quite limp and lifeless. I was certain this baby hadn't made it and as I took a closer look, I could see him breathing and blinking his eyes. He must have just barely been born. I'm not sure why he was left along and not near his mama.  I scooped up the little guy, and took him in the house to Lindsay (the beautiful young woman who lives with us). Pretty much Lindsay's part of the birthing team has been to do any necessary suctioning and clean up of the babies. She's been an amazing help this kidding season helping us birth, take care of babies, milk the goats, clean goat pens, process milk and be an all around general support.

Both mom and babies are doing well.

The cute 6# buckling. 

Lindsay holding Lindsay.

And, thus we have concluded this seasons kidding at The Simple Farm.

Plum and Posey's sweet babies - all will be headed to new homes. Buck, Lindsay, Danny & Dora (from left to right).

Plum Delivers Her Twins - Swiftly and Sweetly

Plum and Posey were bred on the same day setting their delivery date for March 31st.  For the past few weeks Plum's been acting as if she were going to kid early. Her tail ligaments have been gone for three weeks and she's been showing that "getting ready to kid" discharge.

A goats gestation period is 150 days. They can deliver healthy kids five days before and five days after.  We were hoping she'd wait until at least March 26th.

Farm chores begin around 7 am here and as Michael set up the milk room with all the feed, I went out the 3 pens to begin to let the girls out for milking.  Before I even opened A pen - I went directly to B pen - where Plum and Posey are put up for the night. Posey was standing and ready to be let out and Plum was lying down. That NEVER happens, so I knew or at least thought she was in labor.  When I went over to check her, she gave me "the look."  After I saw that her water had already broken, I knew it'd be a short time before kids would begin to present themselves.

In sweet and swift and perfect fashion Plum pushed out a nice 8# spotted flashy buckling. She didn't have too much problem pushing out the kid in spite of one leg stuck back.  Lindsey and Michael worked together to clean out his nose and mouth with the aspirator.



And in the same sweet and swift and perfect fashion Plum popped out a 7# doeling. Again the duo baby goat cleaners worked to clean off this little girl.

Mom and babies are doing fantastic.  In another week or so this little girl will be headed to her new home.  The little guy still needs a home. If you're looking to add a nice colorful buckling to your herd he's $150 without papers.

Dora is the little girl on the left and Danny is her spotted flashy brother on the right.
Danny will be sold for $150 without papers.