Farm
Poet T. S. Eliot says April is the cruelest month, but for us it means warm weather and green grass. Between the rain and the sunshine, our pastures are starting to grow again, which means Dave is setting up break wires every few days so the cows eat the grass in sections and give the pastures enough time to grow back. We are still feeding the last few bales of the winter stock of hay, but we are hoping that soon the cows will be back to eating only fresh grass and we won’t have to roll out the 600-1,000 pound bales. (Because our arms are getting sore!)
Cows
We have had thirty-three calves since the middle of March, and that means we are over halfway through our calving season. If you are counting, that means we will have over fifty new calves by May. Every year we name our calves using the same first letter as their mother. This year, we are trying to use a fruit and vegetable name theme. Some of our favorites are Carrot, Gherkin, Janáček, and Jalepeño. You can see more photos of them on our facebook page.
You might have noticed our calving season has started a little later this year compared to previous years. That’s because we tried to shift the season back a little bit to take advantage of the warmer weather. When the weather is warmer, our cows can calve outside in the clean, green grass rather than having to stay inside from the snow and winter weather.
Cheese
New calves also mean we have our raw milk again on the farm and at markets, as well as our normal cheese. Our farmers markets are still running during the COVID-19 shutdown. Thankfully, farmers markets are essential businesses so you can keep getting your milk and cheese, but we have modified slightly to keep you as healthy as possible. Boalsburg Farmers Market has moved to an outdoor market where all vendors stay six feet apart. We have stopped giving samples. Our Altoona market has closed during Pennsylvania’s Stay at Home orders, but we are doing pick up deliveries on the first and third Friday of each month. We are hoping to get that set up for Huntingdon as well.
Online ordering is a new option we have started since many of our cheese events have been canceled due to COVID-19. We encourage online orders and pre-orders for market so you can pick up your cheese and milk at the market and minimize your interactions with other people. But you don’t have to come to a market to pick it up. We can also ship our cheese to you via UPS or USPS (not milk though).
Family
Our family is doing well, but busy. We are working hard to take care of the new calves and milking the cows while starting to make cheese (we made our first batch this past week!). Yolanda is figuring out how to teach online from her home in Virginia. Jesse and his fiancé, Mikaela, are trying to figure out how to plan their wedding amidst all of the chaos of the virus. Austin and Jesse are still taking college classes but online. Vannika’s dairy princess activities have all been canceled due to COVID-19, but she’s still finishing up her community college classes as she prepares to attend Cornell University this fall.
Events
Events have all been canceled due to the shutdown, but one exciting opportunity is that some of our cheeses are now available in two Giant Food Stores in State College, and two Martins Food Stores in Altoona and the Martin’s in Duncansville. The stores have our Grateful Ched, Bruschedda, and Smoked Galen’s, and will have our Pirate Blue as soon as it’s available at the end of April (it’s so good we sold out for now!).
Also, while you are quarantined at home, why not try a new recipe? As Dairy Princess, Vannika has put together a recipe book using at least three dairy products, so try out this one!
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 Cup of Clover Creek Cheese Cellar cheese
½ teaspoon of salt
2 cups diced fully cooked ham
2 cups medium noodles (cooked and drained)
1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
Directions
- In a saucepan, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter; stir in flour until smooth.
- Gradually add milk and bring to boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat; stir in cheese and salt until melted. Add ham, noodles, and peas.
- Pour into a greased 1 qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter and bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Enjoy!
Princess Ponderings
“The other week my Dad was talking with one of our farming neighbors (six feet apart). He said recently was the first time he had been called ‘essential’ in a long time. I got to thinking about why it takes a pandemic to make people appreciate the food they eat and the people who get it to their table. Despite all the other struggles this pandemic is causing, I hope something good comes by finally realizing what is truly essential in our lives. I know I am extremely grateful for everyone involved in food production and all those who consume dairy. So, hold on to the good, like the delicious food filling your stomach and the family that surrounds you (be it in person or on Zoom).”
As always, you can buy milk, cheese, or grass-fed beef on the farm in Williamsburg or online. Check out the rest of our website for more places to buy our products. And come back next month for more updates.
