Innholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2021 i Farm and Ranch Living

I was born on a farm in western Oklahoma in 1928 and lived in Oklahoma and Arkansas until age 15. By then, the country had entered World War II. Two of my brothers and one sister were in the military, and my parents decided to move to Iowa to help the oldest brother with his dairy farm. We never got accustomed to the freezing temperatures, nor the snow and ice, so when my brother Ernest was discharged from the military in 1945, our dad decided it was time to return home. He bought a 100-acre farm south of Gentry, Arkansas. He also bought a 1939 Ford 9N with all the latest implements and a flatbed trailer to haul everything south. Ernest and I offered to help move. To prepare the…

The soft down underwool of a musk ox is called qiviut (KIV’-ee-ute), a unique layer of hair that makes it possible for these animals to survive freezing arctic winters. The outer layer of their coat, known as guard hair, protects musk oxen from insects and sheds water away from their skin. Beneath the guard hair, qiviut grows everywhere—between musk oxen’s toes, around noses and everywhere in between. Why do we collect musk oxen’s qiviut? It’s one of nature’s finest fibers: 12-14 microns in diameter compared to cashmere, a bulky 19 microns. Qiviut fibers are smooth, hypoallergenic and eight times warmer than wool. The Musk Ox Farm’s goal is to provide musk oxen with healthy, stress-free lives while harvesting their glorious qiviut. This effort begins before the musk oxen are born;…

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Putnam Groves. My name is Christian Spinosa, and I’m a fourth-generation citrus and beef cattle producer. I have worked full-time on my family’s operation for almost seven years—and as vice president of a diversified operation, I know that no two days are the same. I also know how rewarding it is to work alongside my family and our canine sidekick, Annie, to produce some of the best citrus and beef products in the world. My wife, Sarah, works in marketing for the Florida Department of Citrus, so we literally eat, sleep and breathe Florida citrus in our house. My great-grandfather Dudley A. Putnam started Putnam Groves in the mid-1940s. Over the years, with the leadership of my grandpa William Dudley Putnam II; my…

The country comes alive during the holidays. After autumn’s Thanksgiving of reds, oranges and golds, winter graces us with crisp white snow and the aroma of freshly cut evergreens. 1. BUNDLES OF JOY I’m the third generation to live on this land, and Christmas here is a special time for family and friends—including our horses Vera (in pink) and Jewels. BILL MAUPIN BURLINGTON, IOWA 2. ST. NICK WAS HERE This old barn at a nearby farm is brimming with the holiday spirit. I like to think the sled was left by Santa. CANDY THOMPSON KINGWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA 3. FARMALL FESTIVE My husband and I made this wreath for our 1953 Super C. We have chickens and grow vegetables, and he also raises beef cattle, corn and soybeans with his dad,…

Cream cheese is the secret ingredient in these comforting spuds. Simply mash, mix and let them warm in the slow cooker. FRIEDA BLIESNER McALLEN, TX PREP: 40 min. • COOK: 2 hours MAKES: 10 servings 4 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 15 medium), peeled and cubed 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed and softened 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1 cup sour cream 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream 3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives 1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1. Place potatoes and water to cover in a 6-qt. stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes, until tender. Drain potatoes; return to pot. Mash potatoes, gradually adding cream cheese and butter. Stir…

After losing a beloved dog, my family began our search for a new canine companion—a golden retriever. The search, thank goodness, led us to Remi, who is the perfect family pup. Remi loves to be the center of attention, and we enjoy having her around, taking her through the cow pastures and letting her explore. From the day we brought Remi home, she has been interested in our chickens. One hen in particular is quite territorial, but Remi loves enticing it to play. Many times we’ve spotted Remi scrambling across the yard, the hen chasing behind. Each time, when the hen loses interest, Remi turns and walks beside it casually, as if she doesn’t know it’s there. But once she gets close enough, Remi pounces and the chase begins again.…

Each year we pick a theme for naming calves. We do this as a fun way to separate the different years, and it helps us remember the age of each group. Names work better than tag colors or other systems because our animals live so long. Here are the naming themes used for the past 10 years. 2020: Norse Gods and Goddesses (Freyja, Jord, Loki, Snotra, Tyr) 2019: Cheeses (Gouda, Muenster) 2018: Noble Gases (Argon, Xenon) 2017: Alaskan Birds (Eider, Magpie, Osprey, Teal, Wren) 2016: National Parks (Acadia, Katmai, Yosemite, Zion) 2015: Candies (Heath, Pixie Stix, Twix) 2014: Gemstones (Amethyst, Jadeite, Jasper, Malachite) 2013: Trees (Cedar, Hickory, Maple, Olive) 2012: Spices (Paprika, Rue, Poppy, Wasabi) 2011: State Capitals (Frankfort, Honolulu, Lansing, Madison)…

It wouldn’t be Christmas dinner around the Farm & Ranch table if we didn’t provide ample seating for the folks who grow our food. Across the years, countless farm families have shared their work with us by writing ag diaries. Celebrate the season by catching up with a few of them, and get some delicious menu ideas while you’re at it. FEATURED: December/January 2017 SANDRA DOOLITTLE CHATTAROY, WASHINGTON Things on Inland Bluff Ranch are still going strong. Butch and I remain on the homestead and share in the daily chores. Our son Jody and his wife, Tonya, moved to town a few years ago—she’s a pharmacy technician and he is studying computer programming—but they visit often and pitch in with the work as needed. Jody has been a lifesaver, helping…

Here’s a fantastic, festive side dish even children will love. JAN VALDEZ CHICAGO, IL PREP: 15 min. • COOK: 20 min. MAKES: 4 servings 5 bacon strips, chopped 1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed 3 Tbsp. butter 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1. In a small skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain. 2. Meanwhile, cut an “X” in the core of each Brussels sprout. In a large skillet, saute sprouts in butter until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. 3. Stir in the broth, pecans, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover; cook and stir until Brussels…

The red paint on the 1954 Super M-TA Farmall glistened in the sun as the kindhearted young farmer drove it home for the very first time. It would come to be the pride of his operation, pouring its all into the daily activities on the farm. One year drifted into the next, and the midwestern seasons took a mighty toll on the machine. That shiny Farmall red began to fade, as subtle as a sunset. Parts in need of attention or repair increasingly went untouched, and over time the Super M-TA found itself in a prolonged state of rest among the natural elements of the prairie. Thirty years went by, and the kindhearted young farmer grew into an old man. “No more,” he said, as he rolled the rusty machine…

My name is Jamie Luce, and I’m the herd manager at the Musk Ox Farm, a nonprofit organization in Palmer, Alaska. We promote gentle musk ox husbandry and the production of qiviut (the wool undercoat of musk oxen) to benefit northern people and educate the public. I worked with many types of hoof stock in my career—including reindeer, elk, mountain goats and whitetail deer—before landing here. I am in charge of 81 musk oxen that live on 75 stunning acres of land protected by an Alaska Farmland Trust conservation easement. We are in the Matanuska Valley, which rests between the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains. My goal is to maintain a happy, healthy herd through gentle, low-stress handling. We socialize our animals so they’ll let us herd them out of our…

1. FORD NEW HOLLAND TRACTOR We use it for fencing (pounding poles and stretching fence), moving hay feeders around, snowblowing alleyways in the winter, aerating pastures, mowing and more. 2. XTRATUF BOOTS The best and most Alaskan boots I’ve ever owned! I haven’t been without a pair for the past 10 years. 3. STANCHION (SQUEEZE CHUTE) This is where we weigh, comb and medicate our animals. We would not be able to do what we do without it. 4. FENCING We have so many fences—especially graduated deer and rabbit fencing and 74-inch-tall fencing made of 12½-gauge high-tensile wire with 12½-gauge upper and lower wires. That’s because we have tons of pastures to rotationally graze our animals and have an alley/chute system to train them to herd out of their pastures…

I take this dish to potlucks during the holidays. People ooh and aah at how beautiful it is. Feel free to top with whipped cream for added appeal. CAROL MEAD LOS ALAMOS, NM PREP: 20 min. + chilling MAKES: 12 servings 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin 1 Tbsp. plus 1 cup cold water, divided 1 cup boiling water 1 pkg. (3 oz.) raspberry gelatin 3 cups (12 oz.) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, divided 2 medium apples, cut into wedges 1 medium navel orange, peeled 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 1. Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1 Tbsp. cold water; let stand 1 minute. Add boiling water and raspberry gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining cold water. Refrigerate until…

My 1939 Ford 9N 501 was manufactured with an aluminum hood—one of very few of its kind. I found it in Anna, Illinois, 15 or so years ago, but the owner did not want the tractor sold until after he was gone. Then, in October of 2016, my son Tom phoned to let me know that a friend of his knew a man who wanted to sell a 9N with an aluminum hood. I asked him about the serial number and location of the tractor. Tom said it was in Anna, Illinois, but he did not know the number. I told him matter-of-factly that it was a 501, to which he said, “How the heck did you know that?” I told him I had tried to buy that same tractor…

My grandpa David Jordan was a farmer in Tipton, Indiana. He owned a 1947 International KB-6 that he used for all kinds of farm tasks, such as delivering milk, loading up grain and transporting animals. Grandpa eventually sold the truck to one of his neighbors, and it continued to work hard and be a dependable machine on that farm. Many years later, my father, Phil, and his sister Becky bought the truck back from the neighbor. It sat in a shed in Indiana until one crisp, clear February morning in 2013, when my dad loaded the truck onto a trailer and took it home to Illinois for restoration. This was the start of a three-year project. My husband and I live in western Michigan, but during holidays and long weekends,…