A Lesson to Me

I’m mad at myself…… I got caught off guard by an ungrateful shopper and I didn’t say anything.  I was in Winco in Lewiston this afternoon and it was one of many stops on my “to do list”.  So while I was mentally ticking off what I needed because I had forgotten my list at home, I was standing in the produce section picking out potatoes.  And this older guy comes up next to me and says, “these potatoes don’t look very good, they’re all scraped up”. I wasn’t really paying much attention to him,  but did glance at him, then he says to me, “well I guess you don’t care”…..  I mumbled something like the potatoes look fine to me and walked away.  (And for the record, the potatoes were just fine) Of course now looking back, it was the perfect setting to say so many things to perhaps change his perception.  Geez!  Here I am supposed to be the voice of Ag and I completely blew it! What the hell was I thinking??  And to make matters worse, just last night I was having dinner with a well-known, world-class researcher and we were discussing that very topic of how fortunate Americans were when it came to our food source.    And so Mr. Ungrateful, Cranky Shopper,  I do care!! 

What I should have said to him, 

“Do you realize that it costs the farmer about $3,500 per acre to plant, tend and harvest potatoes? 

 And that these potatoes were most likely grown by a generational farm family? 

 And that we, as Americans, enjoy the safest and best food source anywhere in the world?   

 And that we pay the least for our food compared to other people in other nations?”   

So this was a lesson to me to never waste an opportunity to enlighten someone  (politely of course) should they voice their displeasure about the implied inferior quality of our food.  

So while writing this, I put on some favorite tunes (Daugherty) and grabbed a beer and decided to confess my shortcomings to you on the eve of our great Nation’s birthday.  I for one know that I am extremely lucky to be an American and have the benefits of a safe and reliable food source, freedom, the benefits of modern medicine and the ability to pursue our dreams.  I thank God that I live in America, and hopefully you will take a moment to say your thanks too.

A view from my front window

With that, I'll leave you with some pictures from this girl's front porch.  And wishing you a very blessed and wonderful 4th of July. As always, thank you for stopping by and if you have any questions, thoughts, comments, well shoot me an email at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com as I always love to hear from you.

All my best, Gayle

Lulu wishes you a Happy 4th of July

A cloudy day last week

A beauty of a country sunset

Green pea fields, clouds - can it get any prettier?

Courage, Part I

Courage, sometimes you don’t know just how much you possess until you need it.  I learned about courage from both of the dads in my life. 

My dad, Jack.  Not too many pictures of him and none ever captured him smiling

My dad growing up on a ranch in Montana

 I grew up the daughter of a bricklayer and in the construction trade, it is ether feast or famine.  So basically we grew up very poor and always moving to follow work.  I didn’t much like my childhood with its chaotic transient style life. I wanted normal, a dad who went to work at a job in morning and returned home at night with mom who stayed at home and did those mom things like be a Sunday school teacher and 4H leader.  Instead we were sort of like gypsies who traveled in a 10x50 mobile home following the next lead of promising work. Mom had to work to help support us.  Later explained to me by my dad, (Jack), he felt stifled in the old mining town where he and my mom grew up, so he mustered up his courage to move his young family on a quest for a better life.  My dad is a good man and loved us in his quiet way, but he has always been a loner, rarely smiling and sort of an intense man. He was brilliant in his work life. He encouraged those around him to unleash their true potential and seek out that creative spirit.  He truly fits the “artistic” profile.  Before his stroke took away his livelihood, he was an artist in stonework.  There are masons and then there are masons who transform stone into an artwork.  He was the latter.  From him I learned the value of a good work ethic and our lifestyle forced me to always land on my feet in any given situation.  A life lesson that I continue to draw upon as well, my life seems to emulate a roller coaster sometimes.

Left, my step-dad, Doug talking with my former father-in-law, Andy. This is a favorite picture of mine, these two old geezers solving the world's problems

My other dad, Doug married my mom when I was about 20, and it was from him that my brothers and I learned about family time.  Of course, I always thought I was his favorite, and he would put up with my antics. Such as every single croquette game we played at their ranch-ette, I’d grab my brothers and together we’d design a not-so-normal course by carefully placing the metal brackets in front of horse or cow turds, thereby dubbing our game “barnyard croquette”……. Plus it was an “extreme course” in their pasture and the game wound its way over creek beds, over their covered bridge  and under propane tanks.  So guess a word to the wise, don’t let me loose especially where my brothers are involved – because who knows what will happen. As I look back, it was a magical time in our lives and treasured memories will always live in my mind.  We enjoyed many BBQ’s and being the only vegetarian in the family, Doug would always ask me, “how do you like your steak?  Of which I’d reply “on someone else’s plate”  - it was a ritual.  Every holiday was spent with my mom, step-dad and my side of the family.  He truly loved us and to him we were his kids.  Late in life he was diagnosed with bone cancer, and he would never concede he had it, fighting to the very end.  It was when I was with him and witnessed his last rite, that the thought struck me, while he could have bought almost anything he wanted, but in the end it’s not the money that brings happiness, it’s the memories made from a life well lived.  From him I learned about the kind of fatherly love and about the kind of courage it takes to fight till the end, no matter the odds.  

With that, I wish you a Happy Father’s Day.  

As always, thank you for stopping by and feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com as I love to hear from you.  All my best, Gayle

A Well Baked Life

Pumpkin Applesauce Bread

For the love of a well lived life.  It truly takes so many different kinds of aspects in proper doses to create a life that you are proud to live.  For me, it’s been a continuous journey of trial and error. But fortunately I seem to err on the side of caution (mostly) and somehow, my slightly mischievous nature seems to keep me on the good side of the law (whew!!!!). Truth be told, it brings a delight to my slightly warped nature to cause my daughters to question what their momma is up to (it could be a bit of revenge for their teenage years).     Of course, I once again awoke at 2:00 am thinking about a topic to write about.  I really try to write once a week to keep blog master, Kristi happy.  But sometimes the words just seem to pour out of me and I have no control…. I just wish it was a more reasonable hour.  

I was asked to review and write about a new cookbook…. And 3 were offered. I chose one near and dear to my heart and the flour frenzy commenced!  I did share the title on my S-Wheat Farm page… then I found out it wasn’t going to be available in August…. And the publishing company asked that I perhaps make a debut of it mid-July.  

Then my crazy brain starting thinking how life is sort of like a recipe.   It takes a lot of sugar to sweeten up your world, flour is the stability factor – sort of a plain ordinary everyday kind of staple, but that is okay.  Then you add in the leavening factor like soda or baking powder – which stirs up ingredients and makes the mixture rise – which I attribute to not so pleasant areas in a person’s life…… you have to experience some unpleasant stuff to grow and rise above the situation.  Then you get to fold in the spices…. Vanilla, cloves, cinnamon and all the spicy good stuff that truly makes it perfectly seasoned, and small doses are needed to ensure just the right amount makes you appreciate the overall flavor.  The eggs and butter just seem to add a richness to one’s life and without it, your life and the recipe would be bland or fail.  Then of course the creation must be properly baked in just the right temperature to turn out.  Too hot, it burns, under baked it falls and never reaches its potential. Then a perfect creation emerges from all the different things that are needed to create a master piece….. you and (okay) maybe me.  

And today, I didn’t want to turn on the TV because of today’s events that unfolded in Orlando, which is a sad example of a life that somehow ended up being mixed up all wrong and the results ended up disastrous to so many.  My heart hurts and I just want to bake and make it all better for those grieving people.  With that, please grab your loved ones, hug them, call them or drop in and say tell them you love them to the moon and back.  XoXoXo  Gayle

My view from the front steps

Another view from this girl's farm

 P.S.The crops are green, the sky is blue with white fluffy clouds and all is well in this girl’s world. Blessings to you all. Feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com. I always love to connect with you.