“Farm Stories” take place mostly in the 80′s and early 90′s. Here is the cast of farm stories in ’83.
I am the ‘farm wife’s’ sister, and I will be a contributing author on this blog from time to time. We were both born and raised on the same farm. Our ideals are the same – God, America and the farm. Nothing more, nothing less – and in that order. Our roots are the same, though my wings carried me a little further than the cornfields. I left the farm to become a police officer in the big city. We grew up on a farm that raised beef cattle and grain – corn, beans and wheat. Every once in a while, there would be a cornstalk that would be growing by itself in a field of beans. I remember asking Dad about it. Being a man a few words, he simply commented – “It’s rogue.” I guess that is the best way to explain it. My sister and I were born and raised to be farm wives. I went rogue.
I am a third generation, farmer’s daughter. My name is Kristen. I am just about as brunette as my sister is blonde – and that is our personalities, in a nutshell. While drastically different, we are absolutely the same… if that makes any sense. My sister and I have a little brother. We like to take credit as developing him into the man he has become – he likes to refer to it as the ‘torture of his youth’. Regardless, the three of us have some tales from our younger years - the cattle, the corn, and a few issues in between. We like to refer to them as…. ‘The Farm Stories’.
My nephew steals the show in this picture. We had no idea what was going on behind us. Complete with his John Deere gloves, he loves his combine.
You can find Farm Stories in one of three ways. #1. Click the steer picture on the right toolbar. #2 Under ‘Topics’ on the right toolbar, find “Farm Stories”. #3 follow this link – Farm Stories.
I like your website. But … two things … have you ever made tomato jam? I grew up on a farm (and I don’t see much as far as animals displayed on your website so I don’t know what you have) but in “my day” in the 1950s, ALL our food was homemade … only sugar and flour were bought at the grocery store and everything else came from the gardens and animals from the farm. The one thing I LOVED was my mom’s tomato jam. Would LOVE to make it with someone who knows how to make jam. My mom was a stubborn German and never wanted to “share” duties but I did pull her recipe for this jam out of her. Also, have you ever heard of “kupworsht”, I’m sure I’m spelling it wrong. It is the meat boiled down from the skull of the head of a beef after the butcher cut up all other parts and put in the freezer for the family. It is a wonderful spiced German soft meat heated, put over sorghum and bread. I never was able to get that recipe from my mom but from taste, I think I could duplicate it or maybe dig it up from some historical recipe locations. Just wondering.
My mother made the best pies in the world … hands down. I will never replicate those. Some people have the touch. But, if you are up to the challenge of the other to items, I’d love to explore them with you. I’m a true farmer’s daughter who is crammed into an apartment now in Milwaukee, WI. Not sure where you are. But, maybe we could me for tea or coffee at a restaurant sometime and I could dig up some of my aunt’s award-winning French cream cakes and bread pudding recipes?
Our farm was in the Baraboo bluffs, near WI Dells, about 300 acres of half tillable land and other half beatiful wooded land for the cows to roam. I grew up with 4-H, riding the bus for hours, and even my first year of school in a one-room school house. I am age 57 and currently disabled with pain issues but my brain is that of a 29-year-old!!!
I spent the first seven years of my career life as a journalist, receiving several awards. The worked the next 30-plus years in public affairs in corporate and government settings in mid-management before my illnesses set in. I’d be very interested in your recipes, animals on your farm and just “talking farms.” I just got off the telephone with a Time Warner Cable person (finalizing my new service and he grew up on a farm and we were saying how rare and hard it is to find others who have had the same small farm experience and to talk about it.) I don’t like how cows are treated now, without being able to walk in pastures. Don’t know if that is your situation. But, I think anyone who has had good memories of “family farms” with varied animals would not like to see cows like this.
Anyway, I have gone on. I hope to hear from you. Love to hear from you about the tomato jam and the German beef mixture I mentioned.
Have a great farm day!!!
Thank you for your comment! I love that you took the time to make such a thoughtful comment. I will try to hit on all the major points.
First, we are on opposite sides of the state. I would invite you to the coffee shop I manage, to sit down for some farm talk, but 3 hrs is probably a little much. I have made tomato marmalade. I should post that recipe this summer when it’s tomato time. I can send it to you if you give me your e-mail. Mine is fourthgenerationfarmwife@gmail.com.
I have chickens in the summer months. I have learned I don’t love taking care of them in the winter months. I also have 3 alpacas.
I respect all kinds of farming. Our neighbors have over 1,000 dairy cows and they are the cleanest / healthiest cows I have ever seen. We also have organic dairy farming neighbors, and their cows seem just as happy.
The only cow head recipe I have heard of is beef cheeks. Sorry I can’t help you with that one. I do have an oxtail stew recipe that is out of this world, and you can make it in just a shade under 5 hrs and it’s not a slow cooker recipe. That’s my kind of cooking!
I also wanted to add the I have a friend who farms in the Baraboo area and her farm is just the ideal Wisconsin dairy farm. It’s the type of dairy farm that you see in calendars showcasing Wisconsin. It is absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful place to grow up.
Hope to hear from you again!