Well, I have an idea I want to run by you.

We attended an organizational meeting on Friday for a new Food co-op in our area which got the wheels turning in my head.

I have been thinking I would like to raise (20) to (25) free range chickens this Summer for ourselves.  We live on 4 and 1/2 acres so there is lots of room.   I just put out a trial balloon on facebook yesterday to see if anyone else would be interested in having us raise a few chickens for them as well  and we got our first response last night…(10) chickens.

It is just about as easy to take care of 100 as it is 25….so here are the details….

The chickens would arrive late May, (after it warms up)  We would let them mature into sometime in August..and when they are ready, we’d pick a Saturday and have an old fashioned “chicken butchering party” ..just like your grandpa used to do.   We will share the costs equally and all pitch in on butchering day.  If you’ve never done anything like this before, that is not a problem.  I am a great teacher and  this will be a chance for you (or your children) to learn a new life skill.

While the chickens are growing, you are more than welcome to come visit and if you’re coming from a distance (we live in Eastern Iowa) we can be in touch and coordinate your visit.  Leave me a comment if you’re @ all interested…I’m probably going to cut this off @ 100 chickens this first time around.  Posting something like this on the Internet, you never know how many people might be interested.

a picture I took a couple of years ago.  This is a view from our front porch

One other thing.  if we do this late August, then the Ginger gold apple crop will be ready…you could even pick up some apples from our orchard  (for a small fee)

 One of our Ginger Gold apple trees

I love history.

I also have a “budding” interest in grafting.

Long story short, I ordered some rootstock and grafted some cuttings off one of the apple trees that really piqued my interest.  The apples were almost white,   crisp and sweet.  Here’s what they looked like:

All 10 grafts took, but the rabbits got 5 of them.  Last week was pruning time and I’m thinking it’s time to permanently plant these heirloom trees in the ground.  Sure I could probably find a spot to plant all of them but I love to share.

I have no idea what their “official” name might be so here’s what I’m thinking….an heirloom apple tree contest.

Two prizes.  First prize….you win one of the trees.  Just have to pay for shipping.  (Let’s say $5.00)

Second prize…naming rights.  You get to name the tree variety..and for as long as I have the orchard, I will always call these trees by the winning name.

Here’s what I’m thinking….to enter, send me a short essay on why you’d like one of the trees....I know I have several new readers who love to garden/ grow things, etc. so a new heirloom apple tree might be just what you’re looking for.  For now, just put “I’m in” in the comment thread and I’ll know if I have any takers.  I’ll e-mail you back so you can submit it to me via e-mail. DM

Typically, we plant new trees in early April, so we have a little over a month to have this contest.  Today is February 24th.  I’d want to have your essay  by March 15th

Here’s a few other apple pictures I’ve taken the past few years to prime your creative pumps:

Apples in bloom 2011

Royal Court’s

Ginger Gold’s

Bountiful harvest

Gala’s

Liberty variety

I’m dedicating this blog post to my friend Kristina and my pet pig Winston.

Winston was our free range pet pig.  She was over 650 pounds by the time I had to tell her goodbye.  If you’d like to read more about how we came to have Winston, be sure to  check out this post

Here’s a few random facts about pigs, you might not be aware of..

Pigs are one of the most highly intelligent animals in the animal kingdom, right up there with dolphins, chimps and elephants.

Pigs are VERY social

Contrary to what you may have heard, pigs are not “Stinky”  Sure if you confine them, and don’t properly  take care of them they will get to smelling..(but so will you)

The reason pigs love mud is because they don’t have sweat glands, so they like to find a nice pool of water,  to stay cool in the heat.

Well, it’s time to get back to work.

     We know we are preaching to the choir when we sing the praises of the Kennett Winter Market, but sometimes we just can’t help ourselves… As you know, the Kennett Farmers’ Market has been thriving this winter. It’s amazing to realize that our local farmers work all year growing fresh produce like baby spinach & fresh lettuces. What else can you find at a winter market? There are “storage crops” such as winter squash, turnips, potatoes, carrots, apples and onions, and a personal favorite – sweet potatoes! Plus you will find eggs, meats, cheeses, breads & baked goods, honey, and a wide array of locally made specialty foods such as jams and sauces.

Winter Markets are held on the first and third Friday of each month from November through April, beginning at 2 pm and continuing until dusk (5:30 p.m.). You will find the vendors set up outdoors along State Street and convenient parking is available in the borough garage at State & North Union St.

OUTDOOR WINTER MARKET VENDORS

 Guinea Hen Garden will have fresh eggs and honey, plus winter herbs are available by advance order. E-mail Jloustau@aol.com.

Maiale Cured Meats   Pre-order or pick up one of a dozen or more different pork or chicken sausages or salumes. Sweet Italian, Cajun Andouille, Linguica, Satay, Thai curry, Buffalo, Tuscan, Venison, etc. Phone your order to 302-691-5269 or email them: billyrawstrom@maialecuredmeats.com

Beyond The Spice     This week they bring three new recipes to sample these slow-cooked artisan simmer sauces:

•Eggs Pocketsin Bhartha Sauce         •Chicken Tikka Masala                    •Mixed Vegetables in Coconut Ginger

Birchrun Hills Farm is back with their handmade artisan cheeses, including a creamy, raw milk natural rind semi-soft cheese with delicate blue flavors.

Mountain View Poultry Farm    Organic poultry, sausages, broths, chilis and eggs to market will be on their market table.

Countryside Farm and Bakery brings fresh-picked greens, winter veggies, and delicious Amish baked goods and jams.

Big Sky Bakery   will have a wide variety of whole grain and artisan breads.

Pike Creek Coffee    Discover their whole and ground locally roasted coffee from the highest quality arabica beans. Stop by the table to meet Peter and sample their coffees.

Other returning vendors include:  ~Jack’s Jams & Jellies~  ~Will Hurd Architecture~  ~Clarke Green Blade Sharpening~

Featuring Special Guest Harvest Natural Foods Market

MEET THE LOCAL ARTISANS with our own Jack Hill of Jack’s Jellies & Jams

 The Landenberg Store in Landenberg is hosting its first Meet the Artesians Day on Saturday Feb 25 from 1 to 4. Jack will be there with his Jams and Jellies. In addition, meet Kathy Ruck, a local artist, Bill Cox who does hand pottery, and Thomas Van Koch glass blower. Learn more at http://www.landenbergstore.com

At first this may seem that I made better use of the bag and debit card than the resolve, but here is my argument – for better or worse, it’s what I’m sticking with. I found that I am miserable if I try to adhere to a rigid diet of deprivation. I actually cheat more. So, if I don’t deprive myself, then I won’t be tempted to cheat. Honestly, my daughter and I share a cake bite in the evening. It’s fun for us and satisfies my sweet tooth. The truffles are just for me. I have one after lunch, and maybe as a snack. (OK, my argument is suffering with the truffles, but they are really, really good and can only last for so long, then they are done.) The lamb chops made a fabulous dinner – pan seared and roasted, served with rice mixed with spinach and goat cheese. The crux of my argument is that I decided to enjoy what I eat, but only eat so much. My goal is to eat good food, that tastes really good, to enjoy it, but not overdo it. The weight will be what it will be, but I did start working out again.

This is how I can diet. We have amazing ingredients around here and I want to enjoy them. Like Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Across a day, that’s my goal and it can be a really enjoyable one, too!

Why you ask?

Well, in case you haven’t already figured it out,  I’m a wanna be modern “homesteader”

Last year about this time while I was waiting for my wife @  Wal-Mart this  article in Mother Earth news caught my eye:

Floriani Red Flint Grain Corn: The Perfect Staple Crop for Every Homestead

Here’s a portion of the article : ” Cornmeal is a culinary world in itself: cornbread, muffins, pancakes, waffles, polenta, grits, scrapple, cornmeal crusts for fried chicken or vegetable fritters, and, if you boil whole kernels with culinary lime, you enter the world of hominy, hominy grits, and Mexican tortillas and tamales. Yet it’s ironic that despite 88 million acres of corn growing in the United States (the estimate for 2010), there are few choices of grain corn in the grocery store. Cornmeal is such a commodity product that it’s rarely fresh in stores, packages don’t tell you which corn variety was ground to make it, and it’s nearly impossible to buy whole kernels for grinding…..

So I thought to myself,  I need to grow some of that!

Well, I wasn’t the only one who read that article because by the time I tried to get some Florian Red, it was all sold out.

Not to be deterred,  I tracked down another variety of Heirloom corn, with many of the same benefits.  Mandan Bride .  If it was good enough for the Mandan Indian tribes, then it’s good enough for me.  I ordered 1 pound of seed, and ended up with 47 pounds shelled corn yesterday.  (found out the hard way, raccoons also love Mandan Bride when it’s in the milk stage (must taste like sweet corn to them)

In our attic several years ago, our kids several dozen antique seed corn drying hooks which came in handy this Fall when  it came time to save the seed for next year:

2011 crop hanging on antique corn dryers

I’ve been looking @ all those ears of corn that needed shelling  the past couple of months and kept thinking, boy, that is going to be a lot of corn to shell by hand….started looking on-line for a hand corn sheller.  You can find them on e-bay or new @   Pleasant Hill grain.  On a lark I called our local antique mall…sure enough, Jan had one hanging on the wall, already mounted to a box for $65.00 .  I told her I’d be in on Saturday…Here it is:

Our new (Old) Black Hawk corn sheller

close up  end view of the sheller

Me dropping the ear of corn into the sheller yesterday.

One ear of corn would shell out in about 5 seconds. 

____________________________________________

Corn dodgers were very popular among the first settlers to Iowa.  A  typical meal in 1839 would consist of ham, eggs, corn dodgers and coffee…we’re talking morning, noon and supper.

Once in a while when I’m feeling “historical” I’ll make this meal.

Here’s  a recipe for corn dodgers:

“Mix with cold water into a soft dough one quart of southern corn meal, sifted, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of butter or lard, melted.  Mold into oval cakes with the hands and bake in a very hot oven, in a well greased pan.  To be eaten hot.  The crust should be brown.”

Last year about this time I wrote a piece about Three Sisters Gardens.   Take a minute to check out that post.  I don’t want to bore you and repeat myself.  This is a follow-up  story to that original post…this time I have seeds for sale so you too can try your hand @ your own heirloom garden.  Here are the seeds you’ll get from me:
Black Futsu
(Cucurbita moschata)  The black fruit will turn a rich chestnut color in storage. Flesh is golden color and has the rich taste of hazelnuts. Fruits are 3-8 lbs. each and vines give huge yields. Good insect resistance.

You’ll also get:

Mandan Bride Indian Corn.  It is an heirloom variety of corn planted, by, you guessed it… the Mandan Indians of Minnesota and North Dakota.  quoting now :

Beautiful variegated coloration, including some striped kernels. Grown as a meal corn and today principally used as an ornamental. (although we planted it for making corn meal)

Ears are 6-8″ long on 6′ stalks. 85-90 days.

Here’s a couple of photos I took when it was tasseling:

And finally :

Hidatsa  shield bean seeds:

Here’s a little background information on the  Hidatsa shield beans:

“The North Dakota the Hidatsa Indians grew this pole type drying bean in their corn fields.   The Indians planted the corn first, once it was a few inches in height, they planted the hidatsa beans at the base of each corn stalks.  Normally 3-4 hidatsa seeds per corn stalk.  Then they planted squash….the corn gives the beans something to grow on.  The hidatsa beans fix nitrogen at the base of the corn,… And last but not least the large squash leaves take over the ground crowding out the weeds and shading the ground as well saving precious moisture.  

You’ll get enough seeds to do a 10 by 10 garden plot….all for $9.95 which includes postage.

Drop me a note and we’ll go from there. DM

A big thanks to everyone who helped out, to all our vendors and to all our customers.
See you in January.

One morning, bright and early, they hitched up the ox to the loaded cart and started on the long journey.  The son figured that if they walked faster, kept going all day and night, they’d make the market by early the next morning.  So he kept prodding the ox with a stick, urging the beast to get a move on.

“Take it easy, son,” said the old man. “You’ll last longer.”

“But if we get to market ahead of the others,, we’ll have a better chance of getting good prices.”  argued the son.

No reply.  Dad just pulled his hat down over his eyes and fell asleep on the seat.  Itchy and irritated, the young man kept goading the ox to walk faster.  His stubborn pace refused to change.

Four hours and four miles down the road, they came to a little house.  The father woke up , smiled, and said.” Here’s your uncle’s place.  Let’s stop in and say hello.”

“But we’ve lost an hour already,” complained the hotshot.

“Then a few more minutes won’t matter.  My brother and I live so close, yet we see each other so seldom, “the father answered slowly.

The boy fidgeted and fumed while the two old men laughed and talked away almost an hour.  On the move again, the man took his turn leading the ox.  As they approached a fork in the road, the father led the ox to the right.

“The left is the shorter way,” said the son.

“I know it,” replied the old man, “but this way is so much prettier.”

“Have you no respect for time?” the young man asked impatiently.

“Oh, I respect it very much!  That’s why I like to used it to look at beauty and enjoy each moment to the fullest.”

The winding path let through graceful meadows, wildflowers, and along a rippling stream- all of which the young man missed as he churned within, preoccupied and boiling with anxiety.  He didn’t even notice how lovely the sunset was that day.

Twilight found them in what looked like a huge, colorful garden.  The old man breathed in the aroma, listened to the bubbling brook, and pulled the ox to a halt.  “Let’s sleep here,” he sighed.

“This is the last trip I’m taking with you,” snapped the son.  “You’re more interested in watching sunsets and smelling flowers than in making money!”

“Why, that’s the nicest thing you’ve said in a long time,” smiled the dad.  A couple of minutes later he was snoring – as his son glared back at the stars.  The night dragged slowly, the son was restless.

Before sunrise the young man hurriedly shook his father awake.  They hitched up and went on.  About a mile down the road they happened upon another farmer – a total stranger – trying to pull his cart out of the ditch.

“Let’s give him a hand,” whispered the old man.

“And loose more time?” the boy exploded.

“Relax, son … you might be in a ditch sometime yourself.  We need to help others in need – don’t forget that.”  The boy looked away in anger.

It was almost eight o’clock that morning by the time the other cart was back on the road.  Suddenly, a great flash split the sky.  What sounded like thunder followed, Beyond the hills, the sky grew dark.

“Looks like a big rain in the city,” said the old man.

“If we had hurried, we’d be almost sold out by now,” grumbled his son.

“Take it easy…you’ll last longer.  And you’ll enjoy life so much more,”  counseled the kind old gentleman.

It was late afternoon by the time they got to the hill overlooking the city.  They stopped and stared down at it for a long, long time.  Neither of them said a word.  Finally, the young man put his hand on his father’s shoulder and said,” I see what you mean,Dad.”

They turned their cart around and began to roll slowly away from what had once been the city of Hiroshima.

Taken from the book Come Before Winter by Charles Swindoll

We will have information on making your own “ornaments” if you want to continue decorating your night tree through the winter.

The Outdoor Winter Market is here!  Each first and third Friday of the month, November through April, you will find us along State Street in downtown Kennett.  In the event of bad weather, the market will move indoors to the parking garage.  Along with many of our regular farm vendors, who still grow produce in their greenhouses, we will feature a variety of bakers, food producers, and also craftspeople during the First Fridays of the month.  Note:  the winter market hours will be from 2:00 to 5:00 pm only!

The Kennett Farmers Market plans to introduce its first Online Advanced Ordering Program!  Looking forward, customers will be able to preorder many items for the Outdoor Winter Market.  Details are still to be worked out, so look for more information about how to contact your vendors and pick up your orders. 

                             OUTDOOR WINTER MARKET VENDORS                            

AT FIRST FRIDAY MARKETS!

See the attached postcard for more informationSave the Date Postcard. Registration information will follow next week. Please pass this information on to anyone who may be interested.

These two days are being planned by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, SDSU Extension, USDA Rural Development, Dakota Rural Action and Buy Fresh Buy Local South Dakota.

Friday break-out sessions include discussions on farmers markets, high tunnels, value-added, food safety, farm to school, and Buy Fresh Buy Local. Saturday focuses on GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) training–good for all producers, but especially important for producers looking to sell to institutions or through distributors.

Contact Alison Kiesz at the SD Dept. of Ag for more information or to register: (605) 626-3272 or alison.kiesz@state.sd.us.

Nothing more satisfying to me than a well stocked pantry.

I called Chad  the Produce manager at our local grocery  on Monday.

Asked him if I could place an  order for a few hundred pounds of  potatoes and some onions.

Not a problem.

In fact  taters on currently on sale

Today the order came in

300 pounds of #1 Russets  and 50# of  large yellow onions

Total bill…. just over $100.00!

50 pounds of beautiful yellow onions.

Many of them are the size of  a large soft ball.

20, 15 pound bags of #1 Russet potatoes

There’s no point in stocking up on things we won’t actually use,  which makes cooking  for me really quite easy.

I don’t like corn, peas, tomatoes (except on a blt)  or beets….

Come to think of it the only vegetables I really like are green beans, potatoes, and onions

What about you?

Do you have a larder?

Do you know what a larder is?

hint – (think pre refrigeration)

What things do you like to stock up on?

What great food  deals have you scored in the past?

If you don’t have a larder yet but have access to an unfinished portion of  a basement you can build your own.

It’s really quite easily, and doesn’t take a lot of money.

It’s good  if you have access to a small  basement window.   That will enable you to draw cold air in the winter.

The idea is to partition off a corner  of the basement, insulate the ceiling and interior walls,  install some type of simple door that you can open and shut over the window.   Hang a thermometer (preferably one that also reads the humidity level)

Put up some type  of shelving..and you’re ready to start stocking up.

Let me know if you’d like more details and I’d be glad to talk w/ you more about it one on one.

Jamaica pond -

Yummy sandwich at City Feed and Supply -

Along Washington street –

Don’t forget to check out the freshest produce at the VAFM this week – Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Newsletter 1,16 September 15, 2011

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Just winding down after a long day @ work.  Thought it would be fun to share some poetry and  harvest photos  with you tonight.   DM

Long Island Cheese

Wild Grapes behind our barn

2011 Cortland Crop

Brandywine tomatoes

Plums in our East Orchard

Indian Corn in pollination

Broom corn .  I planted some of this just for fun.  In the pioneer days, they really did make brooms out of this stuff.

braid of onions

Black raspberries from behind the barn.

Heirloom tomato in bloom

Black Futsu. These are rare Japanese winter Squash, great for eating.  We ended up with couple of dozen .

Pole bean climbing a stalk of Indian corn in our Three Sisters plot

Ginger Gold apple

Basket of Cortlands.

_____________________________________________________________________

“The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn.”
-   John Muir

]]> http://hearttoheart.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-plant-an-apple-orchard/ Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:10:20 +0000 DM http://hearttoheart.wordpress.com/2011/09/02/10-reasons-why-you-need-to-plant-an-apple-orchard/

Hanging scale in our sales area

1.  Photo opportunities.   Our apple orchard constantly changes with the seasons.   There is always something catching my eye and bringing me joy.

Royal Court apple tree in bloom this Spring

2.  It provides the perfect blend of solitude and social interaction.  I love my peace and quiet.  There is nothing more nurturing for me than spending a Saturday morning alone, picking apples.  At the same time, I do love meeting and bantering with the public on occassion, and when the mood strikes, I will load up the pick up and head to our local farmers market.

Hawking apples at the farmers market last season

3.  Supplemental income.   Sure there is some work involved in tending an orchard, but not nearly as much as you might suspect.  One Semi dwarf tree  will cost you  $20 to $25.00 and once it’s mature, it can produce between 2 to 4 bushel of apples a year. = 80 to 160 pounds of fruit @ $1.50 a pound that’s $120 to $240 gross, from one tree…per year..not bad for some additional pocket change if you ask me

4.  mental stimulation.    While the basics of tending an apple orchard are pretty easy to grasp, there is always something new to learn.   Did you know there are over 750 different varieties of apples in the United States alone, and over 2000 varieties world wide?

5.  Keeps you physically active. “ Keep those muscles moving”  my grandpa used to say.  Between the pruning in the early spring, to the picking in the fall,  having an orchard provides me with lots of  opportunities  to be physically active outside, all the while,I’m getting paid  and enjoying some fresh air.  As I  get older  I will probably do more of that “you pick” marketing, but for now, I can still climb and honestly, I love picking apples.  Last Saturday, I picked about 1200 pounds of apples in about 6 hours.

6.  Provides me with lots of opportunities to bless others.  I’m not going to brag and tell you how this works itself out except to say, I try to sell mostly our #1 apples, which means, what to do with the seconds?    The opportunities  to give are all around.

7.  Get to enjoy some varieties of fruit that are hard to come by normally – plus if you can find them, you’ll pay through the nose.  Sure we have Honey crisp, was told last year they were charging up to $5.00 a pound for those little rascals.   So far this year, I’ve picked 11 crates of them and probably have at least another 8.  My personal favorite is called the Ginger Gold:

Ginger Gold.

It is every bit as crispy as the Honey crisp and sweet.   Last year we had 32 crates of these little jewels.

8.  Fresh apple cider.    You haven’t lived until you’ve had fresh apple cider pressed from your own apples.   It’s got a texture and taste you’ll never , ever find in a store -ever.  If you come to visit, and the apples are in season, you can help me press out a batch.

9.  You’ll  give the bees something to talk about.  Ever hear of the “waggle dance”?

10. Provides me with lots  of spiritual insight.

Life is full of mystery.    I believe God has hidden the answers to some of our questions about life in the apple orchard.

Pruning and suffering.  I hate it when people try to slap pat answers onto my life when I’m in the middle of something hard.  It makes me angry.  So I will not disrespect you and do that now.  Sometimes it feels like I’m getting “pruned”  and when it does, I barely have enough energy to survive, let alone  do more.

Fruitfulness (ever see an apple tree grunt?    Me neither.

Seasons.   Apple trees don’t produce fruit 12 months out of the year.  In fact, they need large blocks of “down time”  in the winter..to get ready for the next season.  They literally need that time, which is why apple trees don’t do well in warmer climates.

Variety.  Already mentioned this one, but it bears repeating.    Apple trees vary widely and differently in the type of fruit they produce.  I think people are created much more varied than culture tries to tell us.   I found an apple tree on an abandoned farmstead a few years ago like nothing I’d ever seen before.  Some heirloom variety I’m sure.  It looked and tasted just like it was designed to taste.  Definitely not some domesticated boring apple.  So why do you and I sometimes think we have to look like everybody else?   Nothing more beautiful than someone being 100% alive just the way they were designed:

Heirloom variety I found at an abandoned orchard near here

As always, thanks for reading my stuff DM

To kick off this month’s challenge, here’s a way to enjoy the late summer harvest of juicy pears! I bought a quart of pears from Pappy’s Orchard and wanted to use them for something different. I had recently watched an episode of Next Food Network Star where the contestants prepared poached pears, but poaching is something I’ve never tried and don’t really care to. I was feeling kind of lazy, so pie crust was not an option. So, I rummaged through the kitchen and gathered up some granola and jam to turn into something easy and delicious. What I ended up with is not only pretty healthy but also seriously heavenly. Serve these granola-coated, pie-tasting pears warm with ice cream for a special dessert and save leftovers (if there are any) to serve with yogurt in the morning!

Ingredients:

Incredibly simple ingredients for a delightful dessert.

• 4-6 pears (depending on size)
• 1/4 c. strawberry or raspberry jam (I used homemade pectin-free strawberry)
• 1 c. granola (from Jumbars)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Pulse granola in food processor until fine crumbs, then place in shallow bowl or plate.
3. Peel and core pears.
4. Put jam in bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted, adding enough water to make into thick sauce (a few tablespoons maximum).
5. Dip bottom 2/3 of pear in melted jam.
   

   Pear assembly line.

6. Roll the jam covered portion of pear into granola crumbs and place in baking dish.
   

   Rolling in granola crumbs.

7. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until pears are soft.
8. Serve warm topped with ice cream (Keepsake Farm‘s is great!) or yogurt (right now, ours is from Klein Farms).

* Bonus Tip: If you have any extra jam-sauce, don’t throw it away! Mix it with some plain yogurt for a quick flavor and sweetness boost to your breakfast. *

Melons are in – muskmelons, watermelons! Hanisch Farms will be back with pasture-raised meats. We also have tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, carrots, onions, peppers, bread, pasta, crafts, and more. Will Schweinle will be back to sharpen knives. A note: he will not come if it is raining – something about holding a metal knife with an extension cord across his lap during lightning.

Newsletter: Newsletter 1,14 September 1, 2011

As further community support, the police department stopped by to share the weather report.