Now with the severe drought in Texas his family, who now raises beef cattle because one man (his dad) can’t keep up with 150 dairy cattle alone; sold off 75% of the herd because the grass and water were drying up.

The Farm

There are people who don’t have sons and daughters dying in a war we never needed to fight.  There are people who don’t understand that the bread and butter, milk and meat, that are put on our tables are still somewhat provided by family farms who embody quality over quantity.

I urge you to grow your own food or buy locally.  Years ago I was shocked when my sister called to get a turkey for thanksgiving.  Now, well, Nanny does Thanksgiving every year but I’d think nothing of buying a local turkey.  My problem is capon, as no-one has it and I’ll have to have one delivered for Christmas.

The sole family farm I could find went out of business last year.  No info yet as to sourcing new product but I’m on the case and will let you know.

One of the first times, perhaps just after we were married, we went “home” to Jim’s folks I asked for milk because I was making individual omelets for everyone.  She said she had some powdered milk in the pantry.  I asked “don’t you have 150 cows out there that were just milked this morning?”  And she answered that she no longer has two growing boys at home so doesn’t need to keep two gallons of milk in the frig at all times.

A valid point, from a savvy and thrifty woman that I love.  Back home, you “make do.”  If you don’t have a lemon for the vinaigrette you want to make, punt with whatever’s there because it’s not worth a 45-minute trip to the grocery store.

I once asked my m-i-l what she does when Joe doesn’t want to eat leftovers.  Nothing.  Jim, my husband always says “let’s go out.”  That’s the difference between city dwellers and family farmers.  Jim’s mom has a chest freezer that would feed them for at least a month.  She has to buy everything on sale and freeze it, and when we visit, we eat well.

All I can say is that farm subsidies are not geared to the right people, the family farmers, and that they’re hurting this year especially due to drought.  Everyone swoops in for a hurricane (except FEMA) or tornado but a slow death isn’t news-worthy.  Willy Nelson cares.  That’s a start.

These are proud people.  Be careful how you try to help out.  But try, nonetheless.

Joe was a dairyman for decades.  Family farms couldn’t compete with conglomerates and he couldn’t handle the herd alone so sold off the cows and started a cattle ranch on 600 acres.  Now he’s left with one bull and 21 others.

When the government gives money to farms it doesn’t go to small family farms.  When the milk and cheese people show gorgeous country farms, that’s not where our milk and cheese are coming from.

My husband was raised on meat and potatoes.  And milk (that’s another story).  So I decided to make a delectable vegetarian meal.  Homemade falafel on homemade grilled fry bread with tahini sauce, arugula and tomatoes.

It was a disaster on every level.  Basically, my husband was really tired from work so I decided to “grill” the fry bread indoors.  They came out like bricks and took over my main burner.

I got the other burner up to temp for the falafel and the first batch turned out OK and I put it in the oven.  The second failed miserably, sitting in cool oil and falling apart.  The falafel were really tasty, as was the tahini sauce.   This recipe needs a re-do by me because everything was tasty, it was my heat, or lack thereof, that created havoc.  And I can always buy pita bread and keep the best burner on.

I just wanted my husband to know what it would be like without beef.  Cheers, Dee