Daffodils and Sunshine

Spring is here! My favorite season! I love the sunshine and warm, sweet air after a long, cloudy winter!

Today, as we do every year, we took our truck around to the back hayfield to see the daffodils that grow there. There used to be a house that sat back there, long ago, and I imagine someone had some of these daffodils planted around the house, and they spread like wildfire. Some are even double daffodils, very pretty.

Today was sunny and warm, so we loaded up, I grabbed my camera and we were off.

Today we also let our cows out to pasture. They love spring too! It is so fun to watch them run and jump, and finally settle down and lay in the sun.

This is the cows as we opened the gate that lets them into their

pasture on the hill behind our house. I love being able to watch

them from the kitchen window.

Our heifers were also taking advantage of the warm sunshine and were laying in their paddock. They seem so content!

I love how green the grass is!

We did not make our batch of cheese this week, as we had planned. Our taxes are to be turned in tomorrow, and we're still finishing them. Talk about the last minute! This year, my goal is to do our

tax books quarterly, so it isn't all at once. We'll see how I do with that.

So tomorrow, I'll get the brine tanks all set up, check the salt and PH of it, log it down into our books and we'll be set. I also have to order some more starter (culture) for a new cheese we're going to give a go this year!

I was also sent a letter for jury duty today, however, that trial was cancelled so I did not have to report. Now I can focus on getting work caught up and done.

Now, I am off to finish up those tax books...blah! And then sort some stuff to take to Goodwill on Friday, when I go to Marietta for my first appointment with the Endocronoligist (sp??). Hope that goes well too.

Enjoy the beautiful spring weather! :-)

Farm Bureau Contest

Farm Bureau is having a contest "I am Farm Bureau", a photo contest. So, I entered our farm. We'll see how this goes.

If you would like to visit the page, just click on this link:

I am Farm Bureau

Anyone Love Free Recipes??

Gooseberry Patch has just released the first chapter of their online cookbook to download and print! I just printed my copy, and the recipes look YUMMY!!


25 Mac & Cheese Recipes by Gooseberry Patch

Where Have I Been??

I think I've been missing for awhile!

Been off the computer for awhile. Last week I had 2 days of jury duty. I will admit, I wanted any excuse to get out of it, but could not really allow myself to get out of it.  I could have used my diabetes and insulin use as a reason, easily. I didn't. But, I did have trouble getting my numbers controlled those 2 days.  My sugar spiked to around 300 because I was unable to do my insulin at the correct times.
As far as jury duty, it was interesting, and found that all of us jurors got along very well.
As much as I found jury duty interesting, I don't feel too excited to receive yet another letter saying I am to report for jury duty again on the 31st. I didn't realize that a person could be called that many times in one month. Unfortunately, it will take it's toll on our Jersey Emment cheese make for this year.  We have a very small window of time to make the Emment, and we were supposed to start make last week, and again on the 31st. Argh!

After jury duty, I caught a cold or something. So, a week has managed to go by. I feel like this past week has been foggy. Lots of rest. Today I've felt "ok" enough to take a look at the mess that being sick a week has done to our house. About 20 loads of laundry are waiting for me. 

I had an event that I went to on Thursday night, regardless of how rough I felt, I managed to do it. It went very well.  It was a Ladies Spring Fling, and I was set up next to the wine tasting table.... lucky me!! ;-)
I did manage to trade some cheese for a nice bottle of wine... Alpine Spice was the name of it. Al isn't crazy about it like I am...so more for me! ha!  I met a lot of nice folks. It was held in Glen Dale, WV (hometown of Brad Paisley!!). I had to get a permit through the health dept. to take our cheese to WV. Not as hard as I had feared, but we do like to make sure we will sell enough cheese to pay for our permit, gas and set up fee. We did ok, but it was wonderful advertising!

I did make it to the farm market yesterday. Beautiful day too! Sun was out and it was near 70 degrees. Perfect! I had so many new customers come through, and they were so excited about our product! That makes me excited to get started making again!

Our plan now is to officially start making cheese March 29. That gives me time after that to do the jury duty, then that Friday go to the Endocronologist. Hope the trial doesn't go beyond 2 days...

Spring is here! I need to get my camera out and get some pictures of a few, little signs of spring here at Buckeye Grove Farm.  We've been hearing the spring peepers for about a week now, and that is the most wonderful sound to hear after a long winter. 

I hear the sound of the dryer buzzing, so that means I should go and get some loads switched...only 19 more loads to go...

Enjoyed a Visit

Al's mom and dad came for a visit today! We don't see them very often, so it was nice to have a day visiting. We went out and grabbed a bite to eat, stopped by a neighbors place and chatted. When we pulled into our driveway, we got out and found that they had picked up something in their tire.  We followed them to the repair shop just to make sure they made it ok without getting a flat. It gave us a few more minutes to visit! :)

They live in Kentucky, so hoping that they have a safe trip back home.  Emily had so much fun visiting.

Made a delicious recipe for our dinner! It was loved by all of us, especially Emily. So kid approved!

Italian Chicken and Penne

Recipe from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet cookbook

8 oz. uncooked penne pasta

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 pieces

1 small green pepper, julienned

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 can (8 oz.) pizza sauce

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/3 cup  shredded mozzerella cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a nonstick wok (I used a skillet), stir fry the chicken, pepper, onion and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add pasta, mushrooms, tomatoes, sauce and seasoning; heat through. Remove from heat. Sprinke with cheese; let stand until melted.

Makes 6 servings.

1-1/3 cup= 1 serving

288 calories

5 gr. fat

96 mg sodium

36 gr. carb.

3 gr. fiber

26 gr. protein

The sun has finally been shining and the snow is almost all melted...so that means we have A LOT of mud!!

I'm not sure which is worse, the snow and ice, or mud.  Seems like keeping the floor in the kitchen clean is a challenge.  We're very ready for spring, and if the weather stays mild, the cows may get to be let out to pasture early, at least during the day, given that they don't have to walk around in the mud up to their ears! The air even smells like spring. Emily dug her tricycle out of the garage and rode it around our back walk for awhile earlier.  She's ready to play outside. 

Hope everyone has enjoyed some sunshine, sounds like some good soaking rains are on the way! Hoping that the folks around the river won't have to deal with flooding.

I Made An Apron!

I made an apron, all by myself! I have done some sewing before, but that was over 15 years ago, in home ec class. Wow! Has it really been that long??

I bought the pattern and material 2 Christmases ago, so technically not 2 years ago, yet. But, I did procrastinate, I tell ya, the pattern had me intimidated! So did that old machine. I did manage to cut the pieces out. But, put it up.

Before Christmas, I got the old, heavy, did I say old sewing machine out. I lugged it to the kitchen table, because for some odd reason I do not like to actually sew in my craft room.  I love being in the kitchen.  Threaded the thing, and got to work patching some of my husbands jeans before trying it out on an actual project. I ended up breaking 2 needles and the motor really sounded sad.  I got out the needle and thread, determined to patch is doggone jeans! Have you ever tried to sew denim by hand? Not easy. 

My husband, for Christmas, took me out to pick out a sewing machine. And I LOVE it!

Last weekend, we had a snow storm roll through, again. How many did that make??

So, bored and tired of working on tax books, I brought out the new and lightweight sewing machine, so no lugging for me anymore.  After figuring out how to use the self threading gadget on the machine, it was a breeze to use!

Patched up 1 pair of his jeans, fixed a blanket where the seam had come apart, and then got brave. Pulled out the apron pieces. Yes, it was a Christmas apron, but I didn't care if it wasn't Christmas, it was snowing after all! Close enough.

I started and finished the apron on the same day. And it actually looks good.  I can see a few things I want to do different next time I make something, but I did better than I thought I would!

So, one more apron to add to my collection.

I have just enough material to make a matching apron for Emily.

The apron hanging up on my apron rack that my dear

friend, Marge gave to me awhile back.

Me in my apron. It's really comfy to wear, too.

Now, my next project is something Emily has picked out. We went to town today, and she found

some dinosaur material, so pj's and an apron have been requested. A dinosaur apron...don't know about her! :-)

We picked up enough material to make both items, some thread, buttons and rick rack. Couldn't decide what color buttons she wanted, so we picked up a multi-color pack. This should be colorful!

Not how farm families stand by each other.

Jaclyn Lipp,


Thank you for your really nice write-up about our family and cheese operation! We were very pleased with your work! However, we have noticed that a Mr. Todd Tue has deliberatly used the article to spam and promote another families video project. We at Buckeye Grove Farm would never use another family's write up as an opportunity to spam, advertise or take advantage on another person's/business' write up.. Not how farm families stand by each other. We've also gotten some "not so nice" comments regarding this blog write up, and I have traced who left it. To those who have done it, not cool. Just to let everyone who visits here know, we do not promote in this sort of way, and we never will. It would be nice if there was some way to remove Mr.Tue's comment/advertisement from the comments posting. I also know his rights to free speech, but this was nothing more than a way for someone to use us to promote themselves. Thank You.
Here is the link to the article: http://southeastohiomagazine.blogspot.com/2010/03/historic-family-farm-gaining.html

Sincerely,
Al & Renae Scheiderer
Buckeye Grove Farm Cheese, LLC

In Regards to Our Write Up...

This is in regards to the blog done for us on Southeast Ohio Magazine's blog.

We at Buckeye Grove Farm would not use a write up on another farm family as an opportunity to spam information in the comment section.

Not how farm families stand by each other.

I've also gotten some "not so nice" comments regarding this blog write up, and I have traced who left it.

To those who have done it, not cool.

Just to let everyone who visits here know, we do not promote in this sort of way, and we never will.

Thank You.

Southeast Ohio Magazine blog

We  have been featured on Southeast Ohio Magazine blog! How cool!!

Click on the link and take a look!

Historic Family Farm Gaining Recognition for Handmade Cheese

Countdown to Making Cheese

Only about 3 weeks until we start making cheese again! After this long winter, I am looking forward to getting back to work!

Our inventory is holding, but you can really see some bare spots where we need to fill it back up!

I spent Monday cleaning the cheese house, cleaned and sanitized the coolers that we use for trasporting cheese, and use in the cheese house. I do this regularly, but this time, since they've been sitting during the winter months, I really gave them a scrubbing. Cleaned the floor in the walk in cooler, and plan on wiping all the shelves with vinegar and salt.  That prevents any mold from growing.

My next thing to do is get the brine tanks washed and filled up with water, salt and a smidge of vinegar.  We like to have this ready 2-3 weeks before make so that the salt dissolves and the PH adjusts.  Also need to check the the salt content to make sure it is just right for our cheeses, we use a gadget called a Salometer.

I also need to sort through our starters, rennet, anitbiotic tests, and other supplies, to make sure we're all prepared to start back to work without any delays. 

I do have a new recipe that we will be making this year. We're excited to add a new variety and will post more about that when we have the first batch made! We feel that we've managed to keep the other 4 varieties consistent, and that is so important before adding more.

We have some folks coming in today to look at a couple of heifers. We're happy that we have some heifers available to sell this spring.  We have a few more, older ones, available, and feel that they will sell better once the grass starts showing (if the snow ever melts!!).

Farm market tomorrow in Marietta! And, I don't think there will be any snow storms coming in! I'm all packed and ready to go!  I packed the cheese last night, and need to print out business cards and brochures today.  We'll also be in Glen Dale, WV for an event on the 18th.  (For any Brad Paisley fans, that is his hometown). Sounds like it will be a good event too. Along with our cheese, there will be a wine vendor set up, so we'll have some wine and cheese tasting!  I'll post more details as I get them. 

We've had more babies born, a lot of bull calves, would like to see more heifers, but we take what we get!

Well, it's almost 1, so I better get to the barn! Will post some pictures next time!