Hello from Minnesota.  Life is good and we thank God for  everything.

Minnesota is certainly a land of extremes!  We were experiencing abnormal heat temps last week and then currently the opposite, meaning the kids are wearing coats this morning to do the chores.  Great for sleeping and working but not so good for the tomatoes that need the heat!  We are thankful for the rains we have received and the green grass that it has brought with it.  

The honey harvest has been going very well and we are very pleased.  We will be pulling off more honey supers soon. 

This is probably my worst garden year, yield wise, but still there is plenty to eat and put up.  The potatoes were dry for so long and now that it has rained, we have had to dig them early because some of them are starting to sprout.  The flavor is exceptional and cannot compare to the moldy tasting and smelling “store” purchased taters. 

Lately, I have noticed that we are actually eating entire meals from that which we have grown ourselves.   That is, of course, if we are not eating a bread product! I’ve also made a switch to using entirely whole wheat baking and haven’t had any complaints.  The wheat berries are purchased as I have mentioned before and are the Prairie Gold Wheat from Montana.  I can’t say enough good about this particular wheat berry.  Baking powder biscuits are delicious using these berries .

With cheese being so expensive and many hot dish recipes calling for cheese, we’ve been keeping the cheese press busy with a new Cheddar coming out of it every other day.  They are saved, and  then consumed at 7 days to 3 weeks of age.  If I add a bit more buttermilk culture to the pot, they taste as if they had been aged weeks longer. 

There is always time for fun and lately the kids have had fun with our pony Star.  What a versatile pony Star is.   She has never hurt anybody.  Mario and Bella spend hours on her almost daily.  She won Maggie a few ribbons in the horse shows and has plowed many of our gardens.  Chances are, if you have visited our farm you have ridden this pony!

Today is the Ranch Rodeo in Waubay, South Dakota.  Clayton and Apache are on the Jorgenson J Heart  team and although doubtful they will win, it will be some very fun entertainment!   (shhh, don’t tell him I said that) Also today, we look forward to a nice long week visit with my brother Joe and some of our cousins!  After that, it is off to Ohio for some of us.  Sr. John Mary McKeown will be taking her final vows and we will visit the Dougherty and Ryland families!  Nonna and Anet are supposed to meet us there as well.  Now that sounds like fun, doesn’t it!  God bless everyone and enjoy what is left of this summer.