2014 PUMPKIN PATCHES

I just finished planting the Rogers Farm Pumpkin Patch.  Because of a healthy congregation of rabbits in the area, these prized and special pumpkins will get a fence added this weekend before they sprout so the rabbits do not eat the plants before we have pumpkins.

So what is so special about the patch at the Rogers Farm you wonder?  It is going to grow some very special pumpkins that I hope I can sell in October.  I will try to take pictures throughout the growing process and with God's help by sparing us from hail storms we will have 3 varieties here at Rogers Farm.

Porcelain Doll (purple) - Light pink skinned and proceeds from the sale of these special pumpkin seeds are going to breast cancer research as we continue to fight this cancer.

Musquee de Provence (yellow) - Chocolate skinned pumpkins with bright orange centers.

Baby Boo (orange) - I had 3 seeds left that were hiding in the envelope so they came down here to help boost the garden and give it a little color variety.  These are my minature white skinned pumpkins I have grown for years.

Sun Tea Season - one of my favorites!

From a secret recipe, the best sun tea brewed is with Lipton gallon sized tea bags, apparently only found at Sam's Club.  I typically make 2 gallons at a time and with me being the only one drinking it, that only lasts me about 5 days so I am doing this procedure once a week at the very least.  Now if there are guests, I suggest one gallon for them and one gallon for me, additional to the regular 2 gallon weekly brew.

Last Monday, May 19 was the first day of Sun Tea Season.  Why so late you ask?  That is because of the secret part of the family recipe and the weather around here not cooperating prior to this point.

Nancy's Perfect Sun Tea
1 glass gallon jar filled with cold well water
1 gallon sized Lipton tea bag

(the secret)  Place outside in a maximum sun spot once the temperature outside exceeds 80 degrees. 
Brew for a minimum of 6 hours.

Yield - 1.5 gallons of the most perfect sun tea ever!

Dilute with more cold well water, do not leave tea bag in the jar, throw away upon removal from sun brewing.  Be sure to rinse the empty glass jar thoroughly.  Once every 3 brews I will wash it with Dawn and Clorox.

32ng Annual Early Rod Run - 2014

One of the best things about the month of May is the Early Rod Run - now having completed its 32nd running.  The weather was less than desirable and the drag races were cancelled because of rain throughout the day.  But that did not deter the classic cars and hot rods from coming and putting on a beautiful show, lining the streets of downtown Atwood.  I was able to take a few minutes and walk about town to take pictures of the ones I liked best, only to find out that one of the cars I photographed won the top prize!

Top Winner!

High school classmate's care

Love the pink!

A Letter to Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,

How was your winter?  We really had a dry winter and I was hoping that you would have had some time to send a little extra snow our way.  I know you are busy resting up for Spring and Summer, but please try not to neglect us in the winter.  Our crops, our grass, our flowers, those all need the snow too.  Please try to pencil in a blizzard once a month for NW Kansas next winter, I promise we won't complain about it and praise your generosity after we see the thick mud after it melts.

Spring has arrived.  You never seem to miss the start of this season.  I can tell because my eyes are itchy all the time now.  My nose started its tickle today and I have been sneezing and blowing air all over my computer key board.  I cannot help but wonder if you had sent more Winter to us that maybe that would soften the blow of the nose and the arrival of Spring would be easier to breathe in?  Maybe we should schedule a conference sometime after Halloween but before Thanksgiving to have a brainstorming session on how we can help each other out better this next round.

To that end with the expected increase in bug populations, I have managed to get all the cats equipped with their flea and tick collars so they are protected from your less desirable population.  They are a pretty green collar that is reportedly reflective so when I get home at night I can tell where they are and make sure they all check in before I go to bed.

I am looking forward to Summer because as always, it means gardens, fresh cucumbers, squash and my prized pumpkins for the fall extravaganza on the farm.  I hate to harp on this point, but if we had more Winter, I might not be so worried about the increased bug population that is scheduled to invade my gardens and make my job less enjoyable. 

Dad's wheat looks pretty decent so far but it could really use some nice rains to help it grow and mature.  I know the city people complain feverishly about the rain and the wet roads and the weather keeping them off the golf course when they should be working, but if they want to have bread on their tables, you are going to just have to ignore them and send us some much needed spring rains.  You yourself coined the old adage of "April showers bring May flowers" so bring it on.  It also helps to bring on July wheat.

I have big plans for Fall again this year.  I will not ask you to deter from your usual 50 mph winds as I know it is important for you to help dry the fall crops in the fields and tumble the seeds of all those precious Tumbleweeds across the land.  I am prepared to anchor the ghosts better this year so your winds cannot blow up their poles and behead them like you did last year. 

I have been enjoying your sunrises and sunsets, have even managed to capture a few on my digital camera.  I know I don't give you the proper credit but so much of that is timing and me being able to get the perfect shot that I feel I should take credit in the capture, not the sunrise or sunset itself.

I look forward to visiting with you some evening.  I have noticed that the morning chorus trials are lacking at my house, have the auditions been moved to another location without my knowledge?  I so enjoy the performance in the mornings.  Please consider sending that back to my house before it is too late.

Have a great year!

Wild Tumbleweeds - A Brush with Death!

I was viciously attacked, or the car was, just as I crossed the railroad tracks to go out to the house to let the animals outside. It was a rogue wild tumbleweed. I did not realize how much damage was done until I saw the front of my car. There were 2 chunks of tumbleweed stuck in my grill. The darn thing grabbed my grill and vaulted itself over my hood, smacked my windshield (no damage there) and then slid across the hood before I got away. I did not take pictures because I don't think I will bother submitting a claim to the insurance company. I was not hurt in the incident but it sure made my heart skip a beat or two not knowing if that thing was going to come in through my windshield. Please don't worry about me, I managed to keep the car on the road and my heart rate returned to normal very quickly. That is the second time I have been attacked by a wild tumbleweed near the railroad tracks. They must have a den nearby!