Meet "ZH Duke of Wellington"

Wellington has achieved several firsts for Zephyr Hill Farm:

• Our first bull calf
• Our first red calf
• The smallest calf born here, 39 lbs. at 12 hours old

Here he is running across the pasture with Siobhan in hot pursuit the morning after his birth.  Siobhan chose to "nest" him in a pile of leaves in a tree-shaded corner at the bottom of the big hill of the Home Pasture.  That meant that Herb and I had to make two trips, morning and evening, to get her and the calf up the hill to the barnyard for milking.

I originally named the calf "Wellington" for the elegant British Beef Wellington since he was born between two episodes of "Downton Abbey."  We assumed his future was in our freezer, and I knew I couldn't eat "Matthew" or "Carson!"  Wellington has become "Wellie" or "Wells" for short.

On his second day Wellie felt like exploring the pasture.  As I observed him, I realized that he was much smaller than he appeared the night of his birth.  Maybe it was the distortion of the headlights in the dark pasture, but he looked enormous at first.  The more I watched him, the more it became clear that he really was as small as Tiggy, who actually weighed a pound more at birth.

Several things became clear about Wellie.  He's very laid-back; he didn't run away from us at all.

He could walk right under Siobhan.

If he wasn't red, he'd be easy to lose in the long grass!

His eyes match his halter.

 He's as cute as a button!

He's curious and friendly . . .

. . . and so photogenic!

Here's Wellie nursing in the barnyard before milking on May 29, his third day of life.  Since I'm only milking to keep Siobhan's udder from being engorged, I appreciate that he nurses to get things going.  If he isn't eager to nurse before they go in the milking parlor, he's quite willing to "help out" a bit once we get in there, which helps Siobhan let down.

By this time I had begun to second-guess my original assumption that Wellie is a non-chondro carrier calf.  His sire, FF Lil' Christmas Cash, is a carrier, which means that there's a 50% chance that Wellie is, too.  I'm far from an expert at making a visual determination, and indeed, many breeders that regularly breed chondro carriers can't always tell.  That's why the genetic test is invaluable.

I put a few photos of Wellie on the Irish Dexter ProBoards forum and asked for peoples' guesses:  Is he or isn't he?

Check out the link; there are some very informative answers about visual clues.  At this point the jury is still out on whether Wellie is or isn't.  Only his tail hairs know!

What is clear is that Cash is a very nice bull and that Wellie has the chance to make a nice bull, too.  Besides his bloodlines, he's red, polled and sweet!  So "Wellington," the future steer named after a delicious beef dish, will become "ZH Duke of Wellington" and have a chance to grow up to be someone's herd sire.

I think Wellington is a great name for an Irish Dexter bull.  Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, was an Anglo-Irish (think "Downton Abbey" + Irish Dexter!) soldier who became a British national hero when he led the victorious forces at Waterloo.  According to WikiQuotes, he's remembered for several comments:

• I believe I forgot to tell you I was made a Duke.  A P.S. in a letter to his brother.
• Publish and be damned.  His comment to a man who threatened to publish stories of Wellington and his mistress.
• I have seen their backs before, madam.  His comment at a reception in Vienna to a woman who apologized for several French officers who turned their backs when Wellington entered the room.

It remains to be seen if our Wellington is a chondro carrier or not or whether he will have the dry British humor of his namesake, but it should already be obvious that he's one beloved little bull calf!

Homemade Yogurt

One of the great things about daily milking is having enough Dexter milk to make yogurt.  Getting ready for the family to arrive for Thanksgiving, I made two different batches to see how we liked them.  It's really easy!  Here's how . . .

I had fun getting into my new cheese-making book and kits from New England Cheesemaking Supply, but you don't need many special supplies to make yogurt!  I used to make it years ago in Africa, and when I wanted to start again, I looked up a recipe online and followed that.

For these batches, though, I decided to follow the recipe in Home Cheese Making, by Ricki Carroll.  You can find a recipe online on the New England Cheesemaking website; it has helpful information, but is also a bit more complicated than what I did.

The red thermos on the left is my old yogurt maker, and the blue one on the right is a thermos intended to keep soup hot for lunch.  I actually like it better because the lid screws down tightly and the handle makes it easy to pull it out of the fridge.  The "wart" on the red thermos is from leaving it too close to a hot burner, but it hasn't affected the performance!  In front are my two cultures.  For the "red" yogurt I used a couple tablespoons of my previous batch; the original culture was from Seven Stars organic yogurt, my favorite store-bought.  For the "blue" yogurt I used a couple tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt.

Other than a thermos, the only really necessary pieces of equipment are a one-quart measuring cup and a thermometer that goes up to 180°.  The disks are helpful in that they begin to rattle about the time your yogurt gets to the right temperature.  ("D" for Dexter, maybe!)

First I poured one quart of raw milk into a stainless steel pot and added the disk.  Using the smallest possible pot will allow you to clip your thermometer on the side of the pot so it hangs down in the milk.

If you are using a thickener such as carrageenan, pectin, gelatin or dry milk powder, this is the time to add it.  I prefer my yogurt au naturel!  You can always strain it through a coffee filter to make nice thick "Greek" yogurt.

Since I was making two batches, I had to use one bigger pot, and I had to hold the thermometer in the milk.  (I also had to take my own photos, and as you can see, the steam rising from the milk interfered with me aiming the camera to get my photo in focus!)  I heated the milk to 180°.  Note that once your milk hits that temperature, it will rise fast.  By the time I aimed the camera and snapped the photo, my milk had hit 181.3°.  Not a problem--the website recipe linked above calls for 185-195°.

(The website recipe calls for holding the milk at that temperature for 20-30 minutes in order for the whey proteins to thicken the milk.  I'll try that next time, but it is VERY hard to adjust an electric burner accurately enough to heat and hold the milk without getting the temperature too high or allowing it to fall too low.)

Once the milk reached 180°, I removed it from the burner and let it cool to 116°.  This is where it REALLY helps to have the thermometer clipped on the pot so it stays in the milk!  I swirl the thermometer occasionally to make sure the milk cools evenly.  As the temperature nears 116°, it is important to keep an eye on it so it doesn't cool off below your target temp.  If it does, just warm it up a bit over 116° and cool it back down.  Do keep an eye on your milk, though, or you will end up heating and reheating it ad nauseam!

Once the milk reached 116°, I added 2 T. of starter culture to the milk in the pot and stirred it thoroughly.  I like to have the culture sitting out from the beginning so it isn't ice cold when I stir it in.  Once the culture was thoroughly stirred into the milk, I poured the milk into the thermos.
 

I added the lid (or in the case of the red thermos, both lids) and set the thermos in a quiet spot on the kitchen counter for 6-8 hours.  Go away and do not peek!  When 6-8 hours have passed, you can check your yogurt.  Give it a jiggle and see if it looks set.  If not, let it rest closer to 8 hours.  Remember, though, that it will be thicker once it's chilled.

You  can see that timing is important.  If you start your yogurt in the afternoon, it will be ready to go into the fridge in the middle of the night!  If you make it right before bedtime, however, you can let it set all night and refrigerate it in the morning.

Here are my two thermoses busy setting yogurt.  Absolutely gripping, isn't it?  As you can see, watching yogurt set is about as fascinating as watching submarine races!  But eating your own homemade yogurt from your own hand-milked cow?  That's as exciting for me as receiving a Congressional Medal of Honor!  Okay, I exaggerate, but it is pretty exciting!

If you want to know what the yogurt looks like when it's ready, scroll up two photos.  It looks exactly the same as when you pour it into the thermos--but it's yogurt now!  If you want to know what it tastes like, make a batch!  It's that easy, and trust me, it tastes great!

My "blue" batch didn't set up as well as the "red."  (It's not the thermos because the blue one is the one I usually use; it was the culture.)  I don't recommend using Greek yogurt as a culture.  You can use your own yogurt as the culture for your next batch, although not indefinitely.  The New England Cheesemaking website recommends using an "official" culture for more consistent results, and you can see several that they sell on the link I gave you.  I used to use the Bulgarian culture in Africa, and we really liked it.  I plan to try their other ones, too, and see which is our favorite.  But if you don't want to wait for an order to arrive in the mail, just grab some organic yogurt at your local store and get going.  You'll be glad you did!

Quick and Easy, Fool-Proof Chili

Company coming . . . what to fix?  Try my favorite cool-weather recipe:  Wick Fowler's 2 Alarm Chili turned into No-Alarm Chili for tender taste buds.  It only takes half an hour to make.  In fact, it will probably take you longer to read this post than it will to make the chili!  But read the post, anyway!  The way I make it, it pretty well fills up a 6-qt. crock pot and will feed 8-12 people, depending on their greediness!

Here's the package back showing ingredients and directions.  I change it up a bit, of course--I'm allergic to following any recipe!

For my version:

Break up 2-3 lbs. of ground grass-fed beef and pastured pork into pecan-sized bits and brown on medium-low heat.  The more meat you use, the milder-flavored your chili will be.

Use 1 28-oz. can of crushed tomatoes.  I like Cento brand best because they're thick, not runny.  You can opt to use tomato puree for less texture or you can crush canned whole tomatoes with your hands, but it's more work and the chili won't be as rich and tomato-y.

Instead of water (that's for ducks!) use 1 bottle (forget cans!) of good beer.  Negra Modelo or Dos Equis are good.  This time I used Guinness Stout.  
Very Important:  Taste the beer first to be sure it's good!  You do not want to ruin your chili with bad beer!  :)


Follow the Mild Chili directions.  More in a minute.

Stretch your chili with canned beans.  I usually add about 1 15.oz. can per pound of meat.   My favorite is dark red kidney beans, but I also use black beans, pinto beans, or light red kidney beans as the mood strikes.  Adding beans makes the chili perfect for "Make Your Own Taco Salad" or "Mexican Pile-Up."

Since this recipe is as easy as browning meat and opening cans, I didn't insult your intelligence by posting photos of that process.  I'll just give a quick run-down of the steps:

1. Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. While periodically stirring the meat (too much manipulation or too-high heat can make it tough), I heat the crock pot on high.
3. Drain and rinse the beans in a colander, then dump them into the crock pot.
4. Add the tomatoes on top of the beans.
5. Use the beer to rinse out the tomato can and pour the entire bottle (minus your taste test; don't worry--the chili is going to simmer and kill any germs the beer didn't kill) into the crock pot.
6. Drain the browned meat in the same colander.  You can put a bowl of your dog's food under the crock pot, and he will thank you at supper time!
7. Add the browned meat to the mixture in the crock pot and stir well.

In case you were wondering what the sign behind the crock pot says, here it is!

Now comes the fun part!  Open the Wick Fowler's 2 Alarm Chili Kit box and take out the goodies inside.  Separate them into three piles:

1. Chili powder, salt, cumin/oregano, onion/garlic and paprika in front.
2. Masa in the middle.
3. Red pepper in back.

Now put the red pepper packet back into the box.  Save the box for the directions.  When you're done you will toss the box with the hot pepper inside!  This will ensure that you won't accidentally put the hot cayenne pepper into the chili, making it inedible.  Trust me, it will have plenty of flavor and a bit of heat without the cayenne!

Here's a look at the spices you're going to use right now in assembling your chili.  Note:  You could stock chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion flakes, garlic flakes and paprika.  You could try to figure out the right proportions.  Then you could open 6 jars, measure all the spices into your chili, close the jars and put them away.  Or you could just be smart and pick up a package of Wick Fowler's 2 Alarm Chili Kit at the grocery store.  You decide!

Grab a scissors, cut open the packets and dump them onto the chili.  It's that easy, and you're almost done.

Stir the chili and keep the crock pot on "High" until it simmers.

After the chili simmers, take 1/4 c. of warm water, dissolve the masa into it, then stir it into the chili.  You can then turn the crock pot to "Low" and leave it.  Contrary to what the directions say about simmering 15 minutes, there will be enough heat left in the crock pot to thicken the masa mixture.  This saves you from having to remember to come back and turn the crock pot down later, and it ensures your chili won't have a burned taste if you forget.

Now you just have to wait till supper time!  While you're waiting, briskly scratch this photo on your computer screen with your thumbnail to enjoy the odor of simmering chili.

We like to serve the chili on top of corn chips and top it with:

• Grated sharp cheddar cheese
• Chopped sweet bell peppers
• Chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Sour cream
• Salsa
• Guacamole

We call this "Make Your Own Taco Salad," but I like our friends' name better:  "Mexican Pile-Up."

Be sure to have plenty of cold beer to serve with the chili.  Your guests will probably prefer if you don't taste test those bottles!

This recipe is so easy and the result is so delicious, it's almost a crime not to invite someone over for dinner!  If you're lucky and your guests aren't too greedy, you'll probably have enough leftovers for supper tomorrow.

Bon appetit!

A Recipe for Old-Fashioned Summer Fun

This is a time-honored way to have fun on the farm in the summertime. Here's the recipe: Take two children, place in a tank of warmish water, add a hose, four measuring cups, and a puppy or two. Mix together and see what happens!

At first the kids weren't sure what to do.  Bonnie thought it looked like fun.

Then Didi added a hose and some cold water, and that broke the ice!

It's too funny when your little brother gets cold water down his back.

They were bailing as if their lives depended on it.

The more splashes, the more fun it is.

Jet wasn't too sure . . .

... and then he was sure--no splashing for Jet!

Falling down on purpose is fun, too.  I didn't catch the big grin a second later, but trust me, it's fun!

Fifty-five years ago my sister Barbara and I had a ball doing this, and it's still great fun!

Watching the kids fling water to the winds is a great way to spend a summer afternoon!

A Kaleidoscope Day

Jim and Monique brought the kids for the night Friday night and spent most of Saturday with us.  Our day was full of sun (the first in a long time!) and color and fun.

Rainbow cornbread batter.

Rainbow cornbread ready to go in the oven.

Charis: "Is this bad for me, Mimi?"
 
Mimi:  "No, it's whole grain cornbread with no sugar so it's good for you."

Charis (thoughtfully):  "It looks like it would be bad for me."  Wow!  I wish more adults thought like this four-year old!

Blackberry face.

 Pink helmet and blue sky.

On top of the fence, on top of the world!  (Thanks for these two photos, Kara!)

Didi, Kol and Julie all dressed in blue--with a pink helmet to match Mimi's shirt.

Colorful sandbox toys in a row inspected by fluffy white Misty.

Little boy blue . . .

. . . up in the blue sky.

Dada pushes Charis.
Mimi's face turns white!

Rosy cheeks.

Rainbow cornbread ready to snack on.  (And hey, it really tastes good!)