Falling off my Bicycle

Has it happened to you?

You've been enjoying a bike ride for quite awhile and you're in the groove. You hit a bump in the road, maybe get distracted by something along the way, you swerve, and - Bam! You're wiping the gravel with your body.

Trying to get upright as quickly as you can, you raise your woozy head, start brushing the grit away, and start to think about whether you'd like to give that 'ol bicycle another try.

The object and activity now seem perilous.

And then you hear your mother's voice, " You get right back up on that bicycle, honey.  Everybody falls, but not everybody learns to get back on the saddle and ride again.  Take courage dear one - you'll be okay!"

If writing is like bike riding, I'm trying to get back at it.

Metaphorically, I've fallen off my bike in a myriad of ways this summer.  I've already alluded to the necessity of attending to family life and relationships, and that takes an astonishing amount of extra energy and time.

But, there's been other things- not bad things- that have made the ride adventuresome and found me wiping dirt out of my knees more than once.

Double the size of your garden, praise the Lord for plenteous rain, plant row upon row, and Voila! you've tripled your work in the sun and soil, but also in the kitchen.

Partner with your Weekend Farmer Hubby in installing a new range, car repairs, emergency electric fence interventions, chasing cows back home,  a professional day job, raising and processing hundreds of chickens, fundamentally preparing to change how you've home educated, and by the time an amber sunset spills itself over the pastures, you're beyond tired and can think only of bed and the restoration of sleep. I couldn't write a sentence if I tried.

Fun things like mini weekend vacations, a standing Thursday playday at the lake, 's'mores night on Wednesday, campouts in the yard that turn into extended sleepovers, outdoor swimming lessons - you know, the things that can only happen in summer - have been filling our days.

Add in driver's training, full time work for the oldest farm boys, races to spectate, mission trips to pray for, "mom, I hope it's ok, but I've made a plan for..." somewhat regularly from the teens/young adult offspring.  Gah!

And, this one's "my fault" - I'm enjoying the creativity, community, and inspiration from Instagram. It's easy to spend five minutes here, two minutes there...it adds up.

In the end, my brain is spinning, not my wheels.
And I can't keep upright.

So, what do I say to all this, dear friends?  What is your counsel to me as a writer? As a friend on this same journey?

I think I know.
Whenever I can, and for however long I can, dust this keyboard off, and ride. Uhm. Write.
It's not just for writers, correct?  It's for all of us who endeavor to do the next thing, try something big, cultivate new skills, or seize opportunities.

Just like those of you who've ever enjoyed a bike ride, when the time is right, you'll pick up where you left off, it'll all come back, and although the risk of falling is always present, you'll spend more time on the road than in the gravel.

Me too.

Ride on.

xoxo,
Laura

Flavorful, Succulent, Tender - Every Time

You've noticed haven't you, that the demand for locally raised, sustainably produced, fresh, real, whole, and flavorful food is on the rise?

And, you've also observed that there's a surge of interest in homestead practices, self sufficiency, earth keeping, participation in co-ops and markets, natural non toxic products, all things homemade or handmade,  and farm shares, right?

In fact, I think there's a word that's been adopted to try and capture the essence of some of these practices, and although I've not mentioned everything the word implies, much of what I've written is included when someone describes themselves as "crunchy". It's kind of fun reading through the urban dictionary and other sources when you put "crunchy" in the search bar!

When Weekend Farmer Husband and I made our big move to Liberty Farm, being crunchy was completely off the radar.

That was then.

Now, we at many levels talk the talk and walk the walk.

Why this long introduction that has nothing to do with the title of this post?
Well, first, if you've been here very long, you know that's typical.
Second, it's important that you know that much of what follows comes out of a vast share-house of people like you and me who are interested in the same topics, and have written and shared extensively on their success, failure, and practices.
So, what I'm about to record is a compilation of many generous sources.

For the last three years we have raised Freedom Ranger chickens to fill our freezer and eventually our bellies.  We purchase our chicks here, and if you visit the website, you'll get an easy overview of the breed and their distinctives.

They are quite large when finished. They are big breasted, long legged, with substantial thighs.  So, it's taken some getting used to when cooking.

If I remember the following steps, our dinner is flavorful, succulent, and tender - every time.  (phew, you were wondering weren't you if I'd ever get there?!)

• First, and I'm coming to believe most importantly, give these birds plenteous time to defrost.  Like days.  If it's a whole chicken I have it in my refrigerator for up to 5-7 days just slowly thawing, tissues softening. If I've been flighty - right- when I'm flighty and I forget to plan ahead, I sometimes rush this process, and without fail the meat is less flavorful and not as tender. Chicken should be tightly wrapped.
• Second, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.  For me this began because my oven does not have a thermostat (no joke), so the temperature is not well regulated.  I have learned to cook by "feel" until such time as we replace the oven.  And, my trusty partner is an oven thermometer that can endure the heat of the oven and give me feedback about doneness. Your "normal" super store chicken is quite a bit smaller with more moisture injected into its tissues, so they cook much faster.  Which leads me to my next point.
• Third, allow enough cooking time.  These birds (given my particular wonky oven) take up to 1/3rd longer than the name brand chicken I used to get from my grocery store.
• Fourth, be generous with oil or butter when preparing your bird.  I've come to love butter for oven roasting chicken, and let me tell 'ya, even Paula Deen would be shocked by the amount of butter I use!
• Fifth, get your chicken started in a hot oven.  450 degrees. Then, back the temperature off to 350-375 for the remainder of the cooking time.  If my oven isn't behaving too schizo, I keep it hot for about 25 minutes, and then finish out at the lower temperature. (Most of the birds I prepare for our family are between 6.5 and 7 lbs.  Yup, you read that right.  Smaller birds = less time)
• Sixth, once your wonderfully aromatic chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees, pull that golden masterpiece out of the oven, discretely wipe the corners of your mouth because you're starting to drool. Wait. That's just me. Let the bird "rest". At least 10 minutes before carving.
• Seventh, keep in mind that I am an intuitive cook.  I rarely consult recipes and am prone to cook and create from what's available in my pantry, freezer, and refrigerator.  If what I've written is not detailed enough, use your mighty computer to source more specifics.  I'll link some helpful info at the end of this post to get you started!
• Eight, if a whole bird is too much for you (and there are many reasons why that could be - no guilt, I promise), fire up your YouTube channel, sharpen your knives, put on an apron (I like cute and colorful ones), and watch and learn how to portion up a whole chicken.  

Ignore the straight face and focus on the cute apron.  It was Monday. And February.  And I live in the North.  Brr.

• You then have options.  Dark meat in stews or soups.  Breasts on the grill or in a spicy pasta dish.  Endless opportunities.  Remember - plan ahead for defrosting.  In my family, this approach requires me to defrost three whole birds, but the variety and flexibility of using different part of the chicken at different times make the refrigerator space and time worth it. 

What? you're wondering if I have a restaurant size refrigerator?  Mwahahahaaaaah! Nope. I have a humble 16 year old "regular" refrigerator.  Maybe even a lot like yours?

• Ninth and finally, keep trying.  It's taken me awhile to fine tune my process to accommodate for the different kind of bird and meat than I'd been accustomed to.  Commit to the value of the product, the practical ideology of supporting your local farmer, and the nutritional benefits of whole, real food.  No experience is ever wasted, and if you end up with a mealtime bust, clear the table, whip up some scrambled eggs, or bread and cheese, or whatever. Shred the chicken, turn it into soup, salad, or casserole, and purpose to try again.  You won't regret it.

Okay, my fellow crunchies and crunchy wannabes - join the conversation! Share your best pins, Aunt Ginny's no fail recipe, or your questions.  Please? We'll all be the better for it, and so will supper.

xoxo 

Laura

Link to the You Tube channel with myriad tutorials on cutting up whole chickens here.

This is an informative blog post about the chickens I reference and we use the same practices at Liberty Farm.  Bonus - specific recipe included!

Many of these tips are a repeat, but it's sometimes helpful when sources independently confirm each other.

This post has lots of comparable information as well, but toward the bottom there's a yummy looking recipe for a split roasted chicken.  Will definitely be trying this!
And, last but not least, this a a magazine article reprinted from Alice Water's (a queen bee crunchy if you ask me...) The Art of Simple Food.

Note: Although I've read each of the posts above, I've not explored the each blog in depth - maybe you'll come back and tell me what you found?