Spring Things and other Stuff

It feels like forever since I've written.  I used to feel this way about writing letters, but thankfully we have e-mail now, and I can sort of keep up with that.  Anyway, since the pickled eggs (NOT an April Fools joke), a lot has happened.  The Biddeford Market has gotten busier, the kids are wilder, and spring is popping up all over the place.  Here's a glimpse at what we've seen of spring so far.  Oh, and yes, next up- I'll change my banner up there from winter to spring.  I promise.

Can you guess what this is?  Auntie, you are exempt from guessing, you cheater.

How about this?  Hopefully I can keep this one alive.

Introducing... Rock, Movie Star, Lipstick, Holly-Egg-Mama, Tia, and Dave.  I prefer Dave to Tia, which is why one chick has two names.  Obviously, the Easter Bunny arrived early in the form of us driving to Andy's Agway and picking out our new little ones.

And back to "Can you guess what this is?"  I won't make you guess.  It's parsnips we found at the Biddeford Farmer's Market, brought home, and cooked up in some olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and sugar.  The girls loved these little apples of the earth.  I know, I know.  That's what the french (or is it French) call potatoes, but these actually taste a bit like apples, so I'm going with it.

And lastly, I can not get enough looks at these incredible bracelets Anne made from bicycle parts.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up with the purple one before the market sees its winter end.  Actually, did you know we're going to give a shot at pulling off a spring market in the same parking lot where the market currently exists?  Thursday afternoons, 3-6.  Check it out!

Pickled Eggs

We only have 5 egg-laying chickens at the moment, but with them all laying an egg a day on average, we've got plenty of eggs for our family.  So, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to cook up some pickled eggs.

Have at this funky old-school favorite.  It's the easiest little canning project you'll ever do:

Hard boil a dozen or so eggs.  It's best if they're not right out of the coop, as they tend to be difficult to peel when they're super-fresh.  Let the eggs cool completely before mixing together the following ingredients in a medium sauce  pan:

• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 bay leaf

Peel and place all the eggs in a quart jar.  Boil mixture for one minute, then pour over the eggs into the jar.  Seal tightly with a regular canning lid or plastic lid.  Key point on this one:  Pickled eggs MUST be refrigerated.    I can't wait to give these to my brother Matt as part of his birthday present on the 4th.  This is a guy who drinks Clamato juice straight out of the bottle, so I'm guessing he'll at least be open to trying the eggs.  

Oh, and by the way, I'm pretty sure the Easter Bunny's going to hook us up with some new baby chicks again this year.  It's something the girls have been talking about since last Easter.  You gotta love that bunny!

Maine Maple Syrup Season

My grandfather used to collect sap on the farm and make maple syrup.  Since he passed away, and since my brother Ed and his wife Sarah took over the farm, they have taken charge of the sap-collecting in what is now our neighborhood.  The old sap house still stands at the bottom of our hill, and our community of siblings and cousins still all take part in celebrating spring by hanging around the sap house on what is now known to be "Redneck Saturday."  I think Ed and Sarah decided to formally name their not-so-formal celebration day in lieu of what is more popularly known to be Maple Syrup Weekend in New England.  Our little festival entails gathering around the sap house, bringing the kids along on the 4-wheeler to collect sap, taking turns putting wood in the fire, and having a beer or two.  It's a terrific family and friends event, and everyone goes home with syrup.  The boiling continues beyond Redneck Saturday of course, and you can pick up your own Anderson Farms syrup at their farm stands in the summer.

Gathering sap on the back of "The Flame," Ed's 4-wheeler, is a highlight of the day for our kids. 

The Sap House:  Where the Magic Happens

Ed and I watching the sap boil.  He's probably actually doing something productive while I stand there and get warm.

This really is what it looks like in the house when sap's-a-boiling.  And it smells SO good.

Ed filtering sap from the boiling pans.

We miss you, Uncle Brian.  Don't worry-- the boiling continues!

Sam takes his dad's seat in the sap house.

YUM.

March at the Market

It doesn't seem to be getting any warmer outside, but things are heating up quite a bit at this winter's first-ever Biddeford Winter Farmers Market.  This week, we had a full house with 15 vendors reaching around the Pepperell Mill, also a make-shift museum of old mill photos, tools, and other items.  The locals still seem to be loving the Saturday morning event, we're getting to know some "regulars," and as vendors, we're having a good time too.   Here's just a bit of what you'll see if you decide to make your way to the market next weekend.

 Everyone loves local greens and other veggies, even mid-winter.  Sunset Farm Organics.

Have you ever seen such a beautiful stool?  Lovely people too.  

When this customer left her jars of jam at the market by accident, we set them aside with a note that said "The Mayor" since we couldn't decide in the cold moment whether there was an "e" in Twomey.  Thanks for the business, Mrs. Mayor!  Note Chef Gilley and Lisa trying to keep their table stocked with their awesome Zucchini Relish and her jewelry.  They've been wonderfully helpful to me as a new vendor as well!

What a great time of year to market Alpaca socks and mittens!

Buck's Nuts.  Need I say more? 

I look forward to moving a bit farther away from my own table to get some shots of more vendors.  These photos do not give due credit to the incredible dairy, meat, and other local artisan vendors who've been to the Biddeford market this winter.  More to come!

The Letter I Wish I could Actually Send

To Whom it may Concern:

You are just a group of fools sitting around a big board-room table if you don't accept Samantha into your prestigious college or university- not that I'm even a little worried.  This kid is smarter and wiser than any adult I know, and her sense of what is good and right is eerily angelic.  Sam is an outstanding listener, counselor, and friend in general to all her peers.  Sam tends to know what's best in most situations.  I must admit, this is also true in my home when she watches over my three children (all under the age of 5).  While I spend most nights tugging, pushing, coaxing and finally giving up and watching the girls as they finally fall asleep, exhausted from their various tantrums, Samantha pops over for an evening, somehow gets them in their pj's, teeth-brushed, and actually in their own beds on time and-- get this-- they go to sleep almost instantly.  This all happens with ease, without fail, every time I leave my hero Sam with our children.

As an obvious aside, the kid is like a genius.  She's taken a zillion AP courses in high school, belongs to all kinds of various academic, athletic, and philanthropic groups, and all the while she has time for her family.  Oh and she reads The New Yorker for fun.  This ain't your average kid.  Did I tell you she works too?  And on a farm where there's real labor to be done?  Samantha is not a complainer.  She is hip and classy, fun, beautiful and attractively dorky, athletic and charming-- an all-around wonderful person.  I can't say enough about Sam, other than that I can't imagine the rest of the world sees her any other way.  She belongs wherever she wants to be.

In conclusion, if Samantha chooses to be a part of your college or university community, you will be luckier for it.  Your family will be a warmer, smarter, happier place too.

Sincerely,
Sam's Aunt Sue 

Biddeford Winter Farmers Market

It was preceded by quite a bit of local publicity.  All the Southern Maine newspapers covered the story, and the locals were abuzz about the upcoming event.  It would be Biddeford's first farmers' market, and in the middle of February at that.  The donated mill space is part of the old Pepperell building where we used to go to get factory sale blankets with my mom when we were kids.  It's right over the bridge from Main Street in Saco, on the Biddeford side of the river, of course.

 I walked in around 8:10 on Saturday morning to find my ample 10x10 space taped off by Deanna Weaver, the market's organizer and owner of Biddeford's Sweet Specialist.  While D. and many of the rest of the vendors (including me) appeared apprehensive and nervous about how the day would go, we were all relieved by 9:30 when storms of locals appeared at the mill to welcome our presence.  It was a terrific first day.  I sold tons of jam, and I'm pretty sure everyone who had food for sale sold out before we closed up at 1:00.  Hopefully the trend will continue.  More info and feedback in the weeks to come. Thanks, Southern Maine, and hope to see you there next Saturday!    

Cabin Fever Anecdotes

We've been trying to get our cat Woodpile to stay outside more during the day so that he will sleep instead of terrorize us all night with his nocturnal antics.  This has led to some desparation on his part.  Poor cat.  Wants to be in where it's warm now, but he really wants to be out running, falling asleep in the sun, and watching the birds.  I know how he feels.

 

Another cold day, I came out of our bedroom to find this on the middle of our island counter.  Joe had replaced the big fruit bowl with this giant troll, which he brought into the marriage, and which I am removing from the marriage.  It scares the heck out of the kids.  

 

And finally, I cleaned out the refrigerator.  When you make batches and batches of jam, you have little leftover amounts that won't fill up jars, so you put them in jars in the fridge to feed your family and yourself later.  Over time, as I am now aware since cleaning, these amount to literally dozens of partially filled emptied jars.  Who knows what's in half of these?  Now they're empty, and my fridge is emptier too.  Can I call this spring cleaning even though it's only February?