Arcadia Farm Est. 1659 - Beef4u

Way behind

2009-10-28T12:54:00.002-04:00

It's so easy to lose track. I dont know where to start. So I'll wait for a sleepless night to catch up.

Hope everyone is well.

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

FALLEN HEROES

2009-05-25T16:15:00.002-04:00

In Honor of my Grandfather, Richard Norman Pray, April 26, 1905 - October 18, 1972
WW II Veteran.

I have to say watching Pete and the boys raise this flag 6:30 this morning was far more than just sentimental. I can not imagine the emotions my mother felt when they handed her this flag 37 years ago. I was only 4 years old when he passed away, so my memories are only those captured and stored within a tin box full of old polaroid photos.

I can proudly say, I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN and am overwhelmed by the sacrifices of the many men and women who have come before me.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Proud Moments

2009-05-22T07:51:00.004-04:00

Pround moments.... dont we love them! Jared's 90 second debut was executed perfectly!

It's Spring

2009-04-11T07:17:00.003-04:00

The pictures prove it, right?! The garden is sprouting it's first fruits already! We've got, peas, onions, broccoli, spinach, turnips, and carrots sprouting their tiny heads thru the dirt. It just amazes me every year, we wait and wait and wait for the grass to turn green for the leaves to bud, for the grass to grow for the birds to sing, and BAM we get up the next morning and it's all right there! The grass turning bright green is just a beautiful sight, until you realize at the same time it needs cutting :) I think this year although Jared is tall enough, we need to strap some ankle weights around his waist and make him heavy enough to operate my John Deere mower!

Always something to do.

2009-02-28T20:31:00.007-05:00

It's not Spring yet, but life on the farm is busy, busy, busy. Our new herd is producing the first calfs from our bull, who remains unnamed at this time.

#12 aka Louise had "Crystal" (in honor of Frosty the Snowman's wife) on January 31; the kids input is very important in this naming process.

Red, because when we bot the herd her fur was definitely red, not so true now which is interesting, however she had "Frosty Valentino" on February 15; while we were in church. He's a BIG boy.

Then this past Wednesday, I discovered "Otis" outback, not exactly sure when he was born, we are guessing it was last weekend, Feb 22. It was cold and windy so we hadn't spent as much time outside so Pretty really surprised us, we knew she was expecting but we missed all the normal signs, mainly because she never appeared huge.

Now we have to wait for Ugly, I know the name seems cruel, however you'd agree :) besides the fact she tried very hard to hurt us last Spring when she had "Cookie" (who will be aka hamburger in the Fall) He's another whole story. So anyway, her name has stuck. And then #47, mother of Archie last August.

We also added two new heifers to the mix, so they should have calves in time for Christmas.

We are also awaiting the "peeps" to hatch down on the haystack, should be any day now.

Now we have the Maple Syrup business going on..... Last weekend Pete took a branch out of a maple tree and the sap started running; so Jared, our young engineer grabbed a hammer and a nail and started banging on the tree, with Mom's help we improved upon his creation and so far have gathered 3 quarts from that tap.

Now today, Pete and Jared started tapping the remaining Maple trees on the farm, now I know we're not in Vermont and the syrup may not be LLBean quality, but it's the experience that counts. So they made 5 more taps and we've got sap everywhere!

My Angels

2009-02-12T20:22:00.002-05:00

This is proof, they can be angels! Still waiting for the "big one" to hit us, this year isn't looking very promising either. It's been 6 years since we've had a big snow. Sam was just a baby. The world stopped for at least two days. It was wonderful.

Farm Style Science Project

2009-01-28T13:30:00.004-05:00

I dont know about you, but I've never seen a hard-boiled, double-yoker before. So I thought I'd try it. I don't know, I thought maybe during the boiling process the double yokes would explode and become one or something. Curiosity killed the cat, right?

So the kids were pretty amazed, even Pete was impressed and I'm happy.

Believe it or not! Now you've seen a hard-boiled, double-yoke egg. And yes it was from one of our chickens.

2008-12-24T17:18:00.002-05:00

These are my Christmas Blessings.

May the Lord's Blessings be upon you and your family and friends.

Ok I'm stupid - Here is a puppy video.

2008-12-17T11:37:00.003-05:00

Puppy Love

2008-12-14T21:02:00.004-05:00

5 weeks old and ADORABLE!!!

We have given them temporary names: Texas & Minnie are the girls. Bruiser, Scooby, Scrapple, Mickey and Batman aka Crybaby round up the boys.

Ready to live in your home January 3, 2009!

Great Sorrow

2008-12-06T15:09:00.003-05:00

It is with a heavy heart, because you all know how attached I get (while they are babies) to report that Thaddeus died today. He was only 3 weeks old. We did not know that he was sick, which makes me feel incredibly guilty.

TWINS!!!!!

2008-11-14T07:15:00.003-05:00

I was right, Bessie had TWINS!!!! In honor of my sweet friend "Dee", Thaddeus and Thelma were born late yesterday afternoon. Thaddeus is red and white, Thelma is black and white. How adorable.

They are here!

2008-11-10T09:58:00.002-05:00

We'll we didn't find the calf this morning! Instead we found 7 puppies!!!! 5 boys 2 girls!!!

Life's little miracles

2008-11-09T21:28:00.003-05:00

Whether a newborn child, kitten, chicken, puppie or calf, there is nothing more miraculous than new life.

Our third calf is due any minute, and of course this seems like forever. Just like watching the pot to boil. We walk out to the pasture, just to check, every couple hours, and nothing. Which probably means Pete will be calling up to the house tomorrow morning 5:30 am to say "It's here" I'm hoping he'll say "they're here" for some odd reason I think that big fat cow is going to have twins. I finally named her Bessie, instead of #5, although #47 seems to be stuck with her number. Tomorrow is a new day full of hope and new promises.

Why would I want to be anything more than a farm girl. This life is so quietly exciting, some days I can't stand it.

At Summers' End

2008-09-21T15:51:00.003-04:00

Although we can feel it, it's hard to believe it. Summer's End.
Although one season is coming to a close, life on the farm is still blooming. The long awaited calf of Mama (#47) finally arrived on Thursday, May 21. We didn't even stress over this one - until a few days later - but that's another story. Archie is thriving. He's just as cute as he can be. Tiny little guy, he was laying the weeds on the other side of the fence the day we found him.

Last week Pete spotted a clutch of baby chicks under the hen house - 10 in all, all different colors. There's really nothing cuter than baby chicks, all fluffy and soft. However sadly there are only 9 now.

Last weekend our kids had their first lesson on the "bird and the bees" as we bred our Jack Russell, Sky to her new "husband" Buddy who lives down the road. You've heard the old adaage "out of the mouth of babes"! Well Sam says after pondering the episode for a few minutes; "hay Daddy is that what you and Mommy had to do to have us?" and of course Pete's reply was "you better ask your mother!"

Life is still good, Down on the Farm!

New Baby - Again!

2008-08-22T07:27:00.002-04:00

This time, I didn't even get to fret! Walked down with Pete to feed the cows and low and behold #47 was skinny with milk in her udder!!! BUT we couldnt see a baby anywhere!! So we loaded the kids up in the back of the gator and took a ride in the back pasture, and there he was, a little feller, 50lbs or so, asleep in the weeds on the other side of the fence. He's SO cute! So we dragged him out, walked him out into the field, Mama was too interested in the corn stalks she was eating to pay too much attention to us at first, but she finally staked her claim. We backed away, saw the little guy take a drink and left them be. Now this is how it's suppose to happen. I'll post pictures later.

Summer's Over?

2008-08-21T12:07:00.002-04:00

Summer can't be over, not already!! But sadly enough, it is. School starts Monday! Most are happy to ship the kids back to school, but I'm not. I like being home on the farm; whether we're working in the garden, swimming, or just watching the chickens peck or the baby cows nurse. Life on the farm is good.

We've been picking green beans every couple days, hoping to save some green at the grocery store this winter. Tonight is corn night, our first decent sweet corn crop in a few years, we're excited!

Although we had those eight inches of rain in May, it is VERY dry now. We had a decent rain with hail on Aug. 2 but we haven't cut the grass since. Had we not watered the garden, it would be a desert.

Back to the kitchen I go, got beans to blanche!

1st Customer of the Season

2008-06-11T13:45:00.002-04:00

The award goes to "Mr. Pat" with extra credit for arriving on his "Harley"!!
Funny thing is I didn't even hear him and his friend ride up! But Jared came running and screaming "we have customers!!!!!!!!"

Cookie Lives

2008-06-04T13:20:00.003-04:00

Short and simple; Cookie almost didn't make it.

He had a rough start, being unable to nurse only because he couldn't find it!! Simple calf!! I swear these things are just suppose to "happen" how God planned, and I guess it would have, had they been running in the prairies of wild west; Cookie would have been some vultures' dinner. However I was not about to let that happen, although I did cry my eyes out Friday morning. I just didn't want our first calf born here on the farm to die without offering some sort of help.

Cookie was born 2 weeks ago today (5/21/08). We started bottle feeding him Thursday night, by Friday morning, we assumed he was going to die! But thanks to modern medical technology and some great neighbors and a good friend who happens to be a Vet., his life was spared.

Come Monday morning, Pete got up at the crack of dawn and tore apart and re-worked our cow shoot, to put the Mama in a the headgate and then showed Cookie - just where the milk was - and he went to town! I thought he was going to suck her dry!! Of course he probably was a little thirsty - being 5 days old and not once nursed on his own.

Just amazing. Prior to that he had sucked every inch of her body and tail and head butted everywhere with no results. Not once did he think to "duck under." So Pete directed Cookie in the right direction once in the morning and once that evening, Cookie now knows where the milk comes from! Thank goodness.

Thursday evening we released Mama & Cookie out with the other mothers/calves. Cookie hasn't lost his way and they seem to be living the perfect life now.

New Life

2008-05-23T14:06:00.003-04:00

I finally got the call (From Pete at the barn) Wednesday, May 21, at 5:45 am. The sweetest words "we have a baby". My eyes were so cloudy I'm not sure how I made it down to the barn without hurting myself! He is adorable. The kids are still arguing over names...

New Life is amazing, no matter what the species.

In the Beginning and In the End, God is amazing!

Patience is a .....

2008-05-19T22:52:00.002-04:00

Well now it's been a week - no calf. I've been not only waking up BUT getting up every morning about 6:15 (now if you really know me, you know that's not normal!) Just to go down to the barn to see our new baby or to hear Pete call my name and "come see" Obviously the lesson here has something to do about patience, good things come to those who wait, wait upon the Lord, etc.

But let me tell ya, I could teach that ole' cow a few things about birthing babies - and it doesn't involve 7 days of waiting!!!!

Here's waiting & hoping for another morning.

Not Yet

2008-05-13T21:02:00.001-04:00

Well I have to admit I'm disappointed, however I am anxious to see what tomorrow brings. No calve today.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2008-04-10T07:39:00.002-04:00

This just seems appropriate:

April Showers
Life is a splendid thing, for sure

Or could be, quite a lot,

For being showered with loving friends

Is for sure, the nicest thing we've got.

God's been watering all our hearts

Of this we do not doubt,

For in planting only lovely things

We get the good things out.
If we've got some love to share

With a friend all tried and true,

We can sure feel sort of cozy

Tucked under God's heaven so blue.

But sometimes these days it pours with rain

And we can hit some right raw mud,

But when we patch it up with loving

We get to chuckle at the fun.
Wasn't God so nice to make the cloudy skies

Come out with all the sunny hours

Then in rolling out the cutest kids

He planted all the flowers.

This place is not all bad yetF

rom all the praying on our knees,

Because then it has a kinder face

With all the nicest you and me's.
God gives us all a healthy bite to eat

And with more than enough to spend,

Is generous too, to share even

A little extra to lend.

These days we find there's way too much

Of shoving just to get,

So we need to leave a lot more space

For loving others yet.
I do thank our caring Heavenly Father

Our brightest morning star,

That He is keeping watch so things

Will be so blessed, just as they are.
I want to send you lots of happy thoughts
And prayers for God to bless you every day,

With the softest of April showers

To bring you the loveliest flowers in May.

Beautiful Spring Day

2008-03-15T21:52:00.004-04:00

What a Glorious Day it was! I wish I could say we were up with the chickens and the sunrise and got out there to enjoy the new day dawning - but we didn't - we got up late and then tackled the day! But it was great. Pete has been moving a little slower the last couple weeks, back pain, sinus cold, old age (only kidding).

When we got outside this morning, we had 8 heifers and 5 calves to pen up, vaccinate, worm and tag and move them to the big pasture out back. All said and done it went pretty smoothly and no one was hurt - yet. After lunch we went to work on the electric fence and started fencing a new section to expand the smaller pasture.

The kids were good, they would hang with us for a while and then ride off for a while.

I'm just hoping Pete survives the night, after being shocked by the electric fence 6 or 7 times and clunking himself on the head pretty hard - I'd say he put in a full day's work.

Everyone is worn out and it's time for bed. Sweet dreams everyone!

Life on the Farm

2008-01-26T20:35:00.000-05:00

Life on the farm. My mother tells me she never thought I'd be a farm girl. After living here for the past 15 years, I can't believe I would be anything else.
Arcadia Farm has been in Pete's family for many generations. The land was part of the Arcadia Land Grant from the King of England in 1659. "They" say the first meeting of St. Pauls' Church was held here in our dining room. Even once a peach orchard, this was a gathering place on many occassions of family and friends from far and near. Pete's grandfather "Daddy Pete" as he was called by apparently all of Kent County was a fun-loving, hard-working, family man. Many stories have been told of the long days in the field, with his best worker, a man named Melvin. Arcadia was a dairy farm for a while too; until the milking barn caught fire one year. When Pete and I took over the farm and starting working on some projects, we found some of the charred beams from the old milking parlor. We hope the heritage and tradition of the farm carries down to our children. Teaching them that hamburger, fruits and vegtables don't just appear on the shelves of the local grocery store, has been an enlightening experience to say the least. Getting back to basics, that's what we are doing. There is no better place to raise a family than on wide, open spaces. Steers and chickens to feed, eggs to gather, weeds to pull, squash to pick, waiting patiently for the cantaloupes to ripen, trees to climb, dirt clods to throw, fences to fix, Johnson grass to spray, grass to mow. This is the good life. Glory to God.