eG Foodblog: Shelby (2011) - From the field to the table. (warning, pi

[Shelby]

Happy New Year!!!!

Hello from almost smack-dab in the middle of Kansas!

I was so excited to be asked to blog. I didn't think anyone would be able to guess it was me, but my last picture tipped at least a couple of you off.

A little bit about me:

I'm 36 and have been married to a wonderful man for 11 years. We got married New Year's Eve 1999....due to all the hype about the world ending in the year 2000, he figured he wouldn't have to be married long that way.

We live way out in the country on a farm. No livestock, but plenty of crops such as sunflowers, wheat, soybeans and corn. Corn will be our primary crop in 2011 followed up by wheat.

Here is what the outside of my house looks like during the summer months:

[nakji]

Happy New Year to you, too! Looking forward to seeing what you've got cooking. What will you be making from the Laura Ingalls book? I remember growing up reading "Farmer Boy" and "The Long Winter" and her descriptions of food have stayed with me all these years.

[Peter the eater]

Happy New Year to you too!

I know zilch about Kansas cookery so I'll be reading along with great interest.

(I got married in 1999 as well -- I wanted the ceremony at 1999-09-09 at 9:09pm but for practical reasons we went with an afternoon in July.)

[Kim Shook]

Happy New Year, Miss Shelby! I’m so happy to see you blogging. Can’t wait for all the goodies to unfold. And happy anniversary, too. My parents and an aunt and uncle have NYE anniversaries – a good way to make sure you never forget the date! I didn’t ever realize that you lived on a farm – I love your house.

[Shelby]

This is the book that started it all.

I've read the whole set of Little House on the Prairie books 20 times, if not more. So, on Dec. 25, 1982, my grandparents gave me this cookbook filled with all sorts of exotic recipes like blackbird pie and lard and cracklins'.

I keep most of my cookbooks in this old pie safe.

The rest I keep poked in this cabinet next to the 'taters.

[Chris Amirault]

Excellent: you live in a part of the country I've barely been to, and I'm eager to learn more about its foodways!

Can you say more about crop rotation? Why corn in 2011, then wheat?

[nakji]

I've read the whole set of Little House on the Prairie books 20 times, if not more. So, on Dec. 25, 1982, my grandparents gave me this cookbook filled with all sorts of exotic recipes like blackbird pie and lard and cracklins'.

Does it have the recipe for Ma's green pumpkin pie?

[Joel Hicks]

Kansas barebecue going to be on the menu??

[Shelby]

Happy New Year to you, too! Looking forward to seeing what you've got cooking. What will you be making from the Laura Ingalls book? I remember growing up reading "Farmer Boy" and "The Long Winter" and her descriptions of food have stayed with me all these years.

Thank you so much! I loved "The Long Winter". It was scary and kept me on the edge of my seat! Hey, I was 6 or 7 at the time, what can I say?

I'm definitely going to make a few recipes out of it...after I tweak them a bit. Pheasant pie inspired by the blackbird pie, mush and green tomato pie, inspired by the green pumpkin pie.

Happy New Year to you too!

I know zilch about Kansas cookery so I'll be reading along with great interest.

(I got married in 1999 as well -- I wanted the ceremony at 1999-09-09 at 9:09pm but for practical reasons we went with an afternoon in July.)

Well, you were probably the smart one. Both of us constantly forget about our anniversary due to excitement about New Year's Eve!

Happy New Year, Miss Shelby! I’m so happy to see you blogging. Can’t wait for all the goodies to unfold. And happy anniversary, too. My parents and an aunt and uncle have NYE anniversaries – a good way to make sure you never forget the date! I didn’t ever realize that you lived on a farm – I love your house.

Hi Kim! Thank you so much! I was just thinking about you yesterday! I've been missing your posts in "Dinner".

Edited January 2, 2011 by Shelby (log)

[Shelby]

Excellent: you live in a part of the country I've barely been to, and I'm eager to learn more about its foodways!

Can you say more about crop rotation? Why corn in 2011, then wheat?

Hi Chris! Yes, we rotate mostly to try to keep the noxious weeds under control. Some weeds, especially those that grow in the wheat crop, become immune to the herbicides used to kill them. So, we rotate every few years so that we can use a different herbicide in corn etc. to keep it all under control. We have wheat planted right now--winter wheat that will be ready sometime in July. Then the corn will go in.

All farmers try to raise the optimum crop for their soil type and moisture conditions and, pricing. Farms that have low moisture and poor soil tend to have to stay with wheat due to its hardiness.

All grains are at a very high level due to world demand, so, we hope to get a good price. Corn and soybeans are usually the most profitable crop that we can grow, but they take good soil and a lot more moisture. We have an irrigation system on most of our ground, which helps. We have the rights to the water in the Little Arkansas river, so that's where we draw from.

I've read the whole set of Little House on the Prairie books 20 times, if not more. So, on Dec. 25, 1982, my grandparents gave me this cookbook filled with all sorts of exotic recipes like blackbird pie and lard and cracklins'.

Does it have the recipe for Ma's green pumpkin pie?

YES!!

I love it that you know your Little House!!

Kansas barebecue going to be on the menu??

Funny you should ask, that's on the menu for tonight!!!

[nakji]

YES!!

I love it that you know your Little House!!

Do you know? I'm sure I haven't picked up one of those books in twenty years. But I read and re-read them when I was young, and the food comes right to mind. I remember "The Long Winter" the clearest; I don't know why. I remember them grinding wheat in a coffee maker to make gruel, and when Pa told them to save their butter for bread because potatoes tasted best with a bit of salt. I always remember that when I put butter on a baked potato, and it makes me feel decadent.

And when Ma put her handprint in their cornbread as the only seasoning. And Ma's beans going first at the church supper. I could go on...

[Shelby]

View from the kitchen:

Living room:

Other side of kitchen:

[Shelby]

YES!!

I love it that you know your Little House!!

Do you know? I'm sure I haven't picked up one of those books in twenty years. But I read and re-read them when I was young, and the food comes right to mind. I remember "The Long Winter" the clearest; I don't know why. I remember them grinding wheat in a coffee maker to make gruel, and when Pa told them to save their butter for bread because potatoes tasted best with a bit of salt. I always remember that when I put butter on a baked potato, and it makes me feel decadent.

And when Ma put her handprint in their cornbread as the only seasoning. And Ma's beans going first at the church supper. I could go on...

I think we remember "The Long Winter" the best because not having food was such a focus? Remember when they "make hay while the sun shines" and Ma sends ginger water to the field? I've always wanted to taste that....

Honestly, the Little House books shaped me.

[Prawncrackers]

Shelby I never knew you lived on a farm either! Looking forward to your week especially some KC barbeque, tonight, you've promised.

[Shelby]

By the way, I forgot to mention that my husband is an AVID hunter. He goes every day. During this blog, you will be seeing us cut up and process multiple deer and clean many a bird.

I must confess that a few of the deer processing pictures were taken a couple of days ago. Deer season in full swing, and I figured that we'd get another one during this week, but I wanted to make sure that I captured the process. So, I hope things don't seem too out of order, but we're getting ready to put a fresh venison roast on the smoker. I'll have pictures in a couple of hours. Later this week, I'll post the pictures of the deer process.

For now, here's a few of the kitchen cabinets:

[C. sapidus]

I love cookbooks and houses, so thank you for leading off with both. Do you use your porch much? Was the front room next to the porch an addition?

I am quite jealous of your potted herbs above the kitchen sink. I would love to do that in our house but unfortunately our kitchen window gets zero winter sun. Is your ristra for show or for use?

That cow seems to be giving your living room an accusatory glare.

I look forward to reading along this week, especially since Mrs. C grew up on a farm in the Wisconsin prairies. As I recall you did not start out in Kansas, so please work in a bit of your history at appropriate moments.

Venison BBQ? I am intrigued. Does venison have enough fat, or do you have to supplement?

Blog on!

[Rico]

we're getting ready to put a fresh venison roast on the smoker.

(Sitting at my computer hitting the refresh button on this page every 20 seconds)

[nakji]

By the way, I forgot to mention that my husband is an AVID hunter. He goes every day. During this blog, you will be seeing us cut up and process multiple deer and clean many a bird.

Is there a seasonal limit on the number he can take? What kind of birds, and does he also get rabbits?

My father was a keen rabbit and deer hunter when I was a kid, but I remember hating game. Now I quite like it, but I haven't the faintest on how to prepare any of it.

[Genkinaonna]

I'm envious of your pull-out pantry shelves...I always end up with random cans of stuff languishing in the back, forgotten and alone...

I also loved the Little House books, I haven't thought about the green pumpkin pie for probably 25 years, but the first time it was mentioned here, I remembered reading that like it was yesterday. Can't wait to see what you cook up over the next week!

Have fun and I'll be checking back eagerly!

[nakji]

I also loved the Little House books, I haven't thought about the green pumpkin pie for probably 25 years, but the first time it was mentioned here, I remembered reading that like it was yesterday. Can't wait to see what you cook up over the next week!

And how they made Pa try and guess what the pie was made of, and he couldn't? Reminds me of Ritz's Mock Apple pie.

Laura Ingalls Wilder should be included on lists of great American food writers.

[Peter the eater]

Is that bird nest on the window sill decorative or culinary?

[heidih]

Happy New Year! Great house shots- I feel like I am sitting inside with you. I too remember the food descriptions from the Little House books with much fondness. When Chris Amirault showed his daughter making snow ice cream in his recent foodblog, I immediately thought of the maple syrup poured on the snow to make candy from one of the books (or am I mixing authors up??) Looking forward to everything you can show us.

[Shelby]

I love cookbooks and houses, so thank you for leading off with both. Do you use your porch much? Was the front room next to the porch an addition?

I am quite jealous of your potted herbs above the kitchen sink. I would love to do that in our house but unfortunately our kitchen window gets zero winter sun. Is your ristra for show or for use?

That cow seems to be giving your living room an accusatory glare.

I look forward to reading along this week, especially since Mrs. C grew up on a farm in the Wisconsin prairies. As I recall you did not start out in Kansas, so please work in a bit of your history at appropriate moments.

Venison BBQ? I am intrigued. Does venison have enough fat, or do you have to supplement?

Blog on!

You have a keen eye. Yes, it's an addition. This house is over 100 years old and it used to be the nun's library at the Catholic hospital. The previous owners moved it out here to the country and added on. A few more pics and then I'll get back on topic, I promise .

Living room taken from the kitchen

Kitchen taken from living room

Front room

Dining room that we don't use lol

Front porch that we use a lot. It's lovely to sip wine from the porch swing.

I love the herbs, too. The peppers are drying and are for use (just rinse off the dust and cat hair lol).

The cow's name (actually it's a he..bull) is "Moo Moo". Quite original, eh?

Again, you have a great memory! You're right, I lived a lot of my younger years in Colorado, up in the mountains in a tiny town. Only 10 or so kids in the whole school. I'll tell more about that as time goes on...thanks for asking.

Well, it may not be "traditional" bbq, but it's darn tasty. After we smoke the roast, we slice it thin and smother with Curley's BBQ sauce--the best sauce ever.

[christine007]

Happy New Year! Great house shots- I feel like I am sitting inside with you. I too remember the food descriptions from the Little House books with much fondness. When Chris Amirault showed his daughter making snow ice cream in his recent foodblog, I immediately thought of the maple syrup poured on the snow to make candy from one of the books (or am I mixing authors up??) Looking forward to everything you can show us.

no, you're right! It was at the sugar off party her uncles and aunts held to celebrate the sap running.

wow, this is going to be a great blog.I was so into the little house books that my mother bought me the complete set for a birthday gift when I was in my twenties.

Shelby, I always loved your dinner posts and what an adventurous eater you are!

I was wondering, did you ever have livestock? Or, rather, is there some reason you don't?

Just curious, as I love animals and I'd have a boatload if I could.

[Shelby]

By the way, I forgot to mention that my husband is an AVID hunter. He goes every day. During this blog, you will be seeing us cut up and process multiple deer and clean many a bird.

Is there a seasonal limit on the number he can take? What kind of birds, and does he also get rabbits?

My father was a keen rabbit and deer hunter when I was a kid, but I remember hating game. Now I quite like it, but I haven't the faintest on how to prepare any of it.

As landowners, we can get quite a few licenses. It differs in different counties, but, for us, we can shoot one buck (antlers) and six does (antler-less). The birds include quail (my favorite), pheasant, goose, duck and turkey. We rabbit hunt a little. They are everywhere around here.

On a side note, we allow no hunting of any kind on our property here where we live. We enjoy seeing them too much. On any given day we have 10-30 deer grazing in our fields.

This is right out my back door the other evening:

This is in my garden. They love frozen, half grown melons.