10 Favorite Turkey Recipes

The Iowa Food and Family Project is talking all about turkey this month! 



I got to be a part of the fun in June when Iowa Girl Eats went behind the scenes at a local Subway.  Kristin (Iowa Girl Eats) is an amazing food blogger here in central Iowa.  She works with the Iowa Food and Family Project through Join My Journey.  We farmers would love to have everyone out to our farms to visit, but it’s just not feasible.  So, Kristin has visited farms and shared her “journey” through her blog on the IFFP website.

Kristin toured a turkey farm in Iowa last summer, but I just met her for the first time when we on live tv together in June.  Our favorite local morning show, Great Day, invited us in to talk about Iowa Food and Family Project, turkey and Subway!

Why Subway? Well, Iowa turkey farms supply all of Subway’s turkey nationally!



I have to say, Kristin was just as cute and sweet in person as she appears on her blog!  We had a great time talking blogging, food and kids at the Great Day studio and at Subway the next day. 



At Subway, we all got to meet the franchise owner, Joe Fisher, Kristin made her own sandwich, and then Kristin signed (and gave away) cookbooks!

The Join my Journey blog on the Iowa Food and Family Project website has more videos and information about the Subway “Journey,” including Kristin’s perspective.

But I wanted in on the action, so I submitted a blog post to their website, too!  My post showcases my Top 10 Turkey Recipes, so click over to find out what they are!

Peek at Recent DIY Decorating

I’ve sort of been on a roll lately, working on my house.

But, I seem to go through periods of “doing” and periods of blogging.

This, apparently, is a period of “doing” because although I’ve done a lot of projects, I haven’t blogged about them.

So here’s a sneak peek at some of the projects, and when life slows down, I’ll (maybe) do some more in-depth blog posts about it all.

Nesting tables for The HomeShed

China cabinet (in progress) for The HomeShed

Nightstand for The HomeShed using my new favorite: General Finishes Milk Paint

New wall color in the play room

Canvas-Sticker-Paint art for Adam’s Room

Barn Wood Leaning Mirror for The HomeShed

Antique Door Coffee Table for The HomeShed

Shelves that fell off the wall in the play room. Oops.

New paint in Isaac’s room

So I guess I DID get something done this summer, huh?

What to do with uncertainty

Our last HomeShed sale was an amazing success, but I have to admit…the two weeks before – the mad rush to get ready – were hard for me.

I was in a junk funk.

Our May sale was not a big success, and the over-analyst in me wanted to know why.  But, as is often the case, there were many reasons for its mediocrity and I had a hard time pinpointing what they were.

That uncertainty didn’t sit well with me.  Uncertainty never does.

So, I was in a junk funk.  I hadn’t had time to complete any new furniture projects. No painting, building, or repurposing had happened.  And I hadn’t been picking for much new stuff either.  Not a good combination if I wanted to impress customers (and sell stuff!)

I started with the picking – I went to a couple of garage sales, but didn’t find a lot.  I just wasn’t in the mood to buy stuff.  It all seemed too risky.  Will my customers like that? Is it the right style? Is that price too high? Will I be able to make my money back? Does that piece need too much work? Is it worth driving back tomorrow to pick it up?

Too much uncertainty.

I stopped by one of my favorite junky shops (JB Knacker, Gilbert, Iowa) for inspiration. I  wandered around and I was inspired, but the uneasy feeling was still there.  My mind was racing…Brenda has a lot of silver in here. Maybe I need more silver in The HomeShed.  And those little floral teacups. I see those all the time. Maybe I should buy them when I see them? She has a lot here.  But when I have had those at the HomeShed, they don’t sell.  Maybe I need to paint all my furniture white like Gravy Home Goods.  Or black like Broad Street Market?

But then, a moment of clarity came. I remembered something I’d seen online.

I can’t try to be JB Knacker. Or Invintg. Or Broad Street Market. Or Gravy Home Goods. Or Junk Refunkery.  My shop is slightly different, and 9 times out of 10, people like it.  If I try to be a second rate version of those other shops, I’ll never succeed.


When I buy things that I genuinely love, they sell almost immediately.  When I try to guess what others will love, I lose money.  Owning a creative business means you must learn to trust your tastes, your style, and your vision.  You can not try to conform to another style because you think customers will like it.  It will never be genuine.  Trust your soul, not your ego.

This has a much broader application in my life than just what I buy for The HomeShed.  I am an over-committer.  I am a dabbler.  I have too many irons in the fire all the time.

When I start dividing those irons into soul-feeding and ego-feeding, the uncertainty disappears.

By the way, these printables are a free gift for my email subscribers.  In order to download the files (without the watermark) you must sign up for my email list below.  After you sign up, you’ll get a confirmation email that has the link to download the printables. (Check your spam folder if you don’t see it right away.)  Any questions, just let me know in the comments!

Junkin’ in June: The Central Iowa Junk Jaunt

 

I know not all of my readers are local, but this weekend (June 27-29) is the perfect time to visit Central Iowa!

Junkin’ in June, the event that started it all, is always the last weekend in June, and my junky business, The HomeShed, will be a part of the action again this year!

I still have a ton of work to do to get ready for this sale – I’ve been pickin’ like a mad-woman and have a ton of new stuff to clean, mark and display – so no new pictures yet, but these pictures are from our last sale and give you an idea of the types of junk we sell!

Junk not your style? The HomeShed is located at Red Granite Farm, and in addition to fresh produce, Nicole just ordered hundreds of new perennials!  Of course, I’ve already nabbed a few for my yard, but there are some left for you, too. (This persicaria is going in front of my kitchen window! Can’t wait!)

So come on out and see us – we love to see our old friends and meet new ones on these big sale weekends!

Upper Elementary/Middle Grades Summer Reading List

 

Ah, summer. 

Chasing fireflies, afternoons by the pool, baseball games…and brains that slowly turn to mush.

Did you know that some kids regress as much as two months or more in reading achievement over the summer?  But there’s an easy way to keep kids caught up – a little summer reading.

As a 4th-6th grade Title I reading teacher, I was always looking for good books for my middle grade readers.  I know that fantasy is all the rage, but fantasy can be a tough read, too…long books, weird names, and make-believe worlds.

So here are a few alternatives – books that I recommend to middle grade/upper elementary readers – and as a bonus, the adults I know that have read these books loved them, too.

 

	The Westing Game (Puffin Modern Classics) by Ellen Raskin I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book, but it was amazing! So clever and great for boys or girls.  I read it with two 6th grade boys who struggled with reading, and with a little help, they loved it, too! (Official recommendation Age Level: 10 - 18 | Grade Level: 5 – 8)
	Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett  Another seriously clever book! Chasing Vermeer is a mystery with many levels of understanding for a variety of kids. The unlikely friendships and unlikely heroes were favorites when I read this aloud to my 4th grade students, too. (Official recommendation | Age Level: 8 - 12 | Grade Level: 3 – 7)
	Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine  Although most of the boys I taught wouldn’t have chosen this book on their own, that didn’t stop them from loving it!  Ella is a strong female lead – one who breaks free of the chains that bind her in the end. (Official recommendation | Age Level: 8 - 12 | Grade Level: 3 – 7)
	Almost Super by Marion Jensen This brand new book by a brand new author is amazing for super hero fans. I read it to my own son this winter, and we both adored it.  A superhero story, yes, but also a story of friendship and believing in yourself. (Official recommendation | Age Level: 8 - 12 | Grade Level: 3 – 7)
	A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck What can I say about this book? It makes me laugh, and I love it!  Alice’s grandma reminds me of my own grandma, and I’ll re-read this book over and over thinking of her.  Oh, and the 6th graders I read it with loved it, too.  (Official recommendation | Age Level: 10 - 14 | Grade Level: 5 – 8)
	Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan Another historical fiction, like A Year Down Yonder, but this one is the story of a young Mexican immigrant in the American Southwest. Esperanza is also a strong female lead, who becomes the leader her family needs in times of despair.  I read this to my 4th graders, as well, and just like Ella Enchanted, although the boys wouldn’t have chosen this themselves, I think it’s safe to say that they thoroughly enjoyed it. (Official recommendation | Age Level: 8 - 12 | Grade Level: 3 – 7)
	Holes by Louis Sachar Amazing. Smart. Clever.  A story of kids rising above the odds and their circumstances. I’ve read it several times and wouldn’t mind reading it several more. It’s that good. (Official recommendation | Age Level: 9 - 12 | Grade Level: 4 – 7)

What other favorites should I add to my list?

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Why Can’t We Be Friends?

I'm part of an amazing leadership class that combines agricultural leaders with urban leaders. As we introduced ourselves, I met several kindred spirits...and Sheree.

When I heard Sheree's introduction, I was certain we wouldn't be friends. In fact, I was pretty sure we were enemies.

Whenever  I meet someone new, I automatically start looking for what have in common. But I didn't have anything in common with her.

Sheree is a raw vegan chef. I'm a livestock farm wife at who eats a lot of turkey (and bacon.)

Strike 1.

She has no kids. My kids took up most of my introduction.

Strike 2.

Our backgrounds, childhood and education were completely different.

Strike 3.

But as our time together went on, I realized that I was *gulp* wrong. Sheree is not an enemy.

Turns out, she wasn't nearly as closed minded as I was. She was able to find something we had in common: passion and dedication to something that is special to us.  Yes, our "specialties" are sort of contradictory.  But Sheree's open-mindedness has led me to be more open-minded as well.

Sheree's okay with my food choices, and I'm learning to be okay with hers. I have tried a few of her recipes and watched her tv show (Fork in the Road.) And she's patiently listened to me talk about how much I love my farm and sharing my story of agriculture.

Somehow, despite our differences, we have become friends...friends who respect each other's views and even help support each other's goals.

So, the moral of the story is this: have an open mind. Don't judge a book by its cover. Look for the best in people and celebrate that.

And then, maybe, we can all be friends.

Baby Turkey Day By the Numbers

20,000 poults (baby turkeys)

2,000 crates of 100 birds

6500+ drinkers

414 feeders

256 supplemental feeders for the first two weeks

192 supplemental drinkers for the first two weeks

86 degrees farenheit inside the barn

32 heaters

32 cardboard rings to keep the turkeys close to the heaters for the first two weeks

4 inches wood shavings

4 adults on the crew (Bart, me, Josh the Farm Assistant and neighbor Wes)

2 pint sized helpers (Adam, 5)

(Isaac, 3)

 

One Family Farm

 

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