Good Day at the Farm Market

I had a really good day at the farm market. And not just in sales, although they were very good due to Thanksgiving coming up, but in so many other ways.

I have so many customers that come in every week, and never fail will buy at least one pack of cheese, and they usually have a kind word and respect for the work that us vendors do to be there each week. My regular customers have become more like friends to me, over time I learn about their lives, and who they are. I have one customer, and I honestly never did know his name, and he would come in each week and buy the same size pack of the same type of cheese. Well, he hasn't been in since last spring, and I've been keeping an eye out for him, but worry since he was an older man, and hoping that his health is not keeping him away, or worse. Makes me wish I had his name...

There is another customer, she is in her mid-seventies, and she spent her life running in marathons worldwide. Still does some too... She always has such an amazing personality when she comes in, always very chatty and never holds still for a minute. She also does ballroom dancing with her grandson. I sure do hope that I am that active when I reach that age. Although, I don't suppose marathon running is something in my future, but hey, who knows about that dancing! ;)

There is a vendor who I feel especially fond of. She is so easy for me to chat with, we seem to feel the same about most things, and our views are very similar. She makes the prettiest aprons, I've bought a few from her, especially for the apron swaps that I participate in. I'm unsure of sewing myself, but I know I can always count on her aprons to be top notch!

I have a lot of heavy coolers to lug into the building each week, but I rarely ever have to carry them. There is usually someone right there ready to help.

Today we had a bean and cornbread lunch. The president of the market and some others cooked beans over an open fire in a large pot. It was delicious! Along with Christmas music playing and all the holiday crafts gave the place a nice feel!

I was given some "bruised" apples from the folks who sell apples and cider. The apples look really good to me! I'm going to make something for Thanksgiving with them. A customer gave me a jar of Apple-Orange Spice, it is like apple butter. Yum!!

I guess going to the farm market sometimes helps me feel pretty good about folks!
No matter how much nasty stuff you hear on the news, amazingly there are still some good people out there.

Getting ready for Christmas!

Here are some recipes (totally not diabetic friendly!!), but delicious!

Perfect Peppermint Patties

1 lb. powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened

2-3 tsp. peppermint extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 C. evaporated milk

2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

2 Tbsp. shortening

In a bowl, combine first four ingredients. Add milk and mix well.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.

Chill for 20 minutes. Flatten using a glass to 1/4 inch; chill for 30 minutes.

In a double boiler or microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening.

Dip patties; place on waxed paper to harden and freeze for a short while.

*I also have used maple, orange and raspberry flavoring. Yummy!!!

Pineapple Nut Cake

20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice

2 eggs

2 c. flour

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. nuts, optional

Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and frost cake while warm.

Done for the winter

We've finally finished our cheese making for the year! An amazing accomplishment for us.
Now, to drum up some business with a sluggish economy!

Now our focus is getting the cheese house cleaned up completely for next spring, advertise for the upcoming holiday season (which by the way, we are having some special pricing, visit our website if interested! www.buckeyegrovefarmcheese.com ), and making sure our cows are nice and comfy for the winter.

Our daily chores will include hauling a lot of sawdust that thankfully a local pallet wood shop lets us have just to keep their shop cleaned out, making sure the cows have plenty of hay to keep their bellies full, hauling some manure when the weather allows, and we'll need to get a few more loads of firewood from our hayfield fence rows. Plenty of trees fall when a storm blows through.

We had our first good snow last night. Almost 2 inches! We stayed outside for a little bit last night and played in it. Emily had a blast! She seems to find the fun and excitement in just about anything we do.

I've had to change my eating habits lately, I've found that I'm diabetic. So, I will work on posting a few good recipes that I've tried so far. It's actually fun to try new recipes! Not fun having to watch how much sugar I eat though....
It's amazing what a serving size REALLY is. Much smaller than what you will get in a restaurant! I may lose some of these pesky pounds that have found me!

I started some of my Christmas baking (not for me though!). I'm making the cookies and bars ahead of time and freezing them. I keep saying that I will do this each year, and never have. So this year is the year! Hoping that it makes getting the cookie trays ready much easier when it gets closer to Christmas.

Well, now I am off to get a little one ready for bed, get a few odd and end things done, and hopefully get to bed soon! I'm tired tonight.