Flyin by friday!!

GEEEEEEEE I just cannot believe how fast this day went right on by~!!!! WHEW!!!!
So market on thurs was a bit slower than usual but that was ok we had absolutlely GORGEOUS GORGEOUS weather!! and we had fun of cource!! EXCEPT FOR>>>>>>>>>>>>>> one of the other famers (i use the term loosely with some of them) had the nerve to come in my booth while i was still settin up in the am because she happened to notice I brought 3 bushel of corn with me to sell!! she and I quote her said " we thought you were a bakery".... well my response was of cource........we are Chicken Scratch Farm and Bake Shoppe.......why cant i be both?? She didnt answer but proceeded to ask just how much I was sellin my corn for so I told her and she went off like some ol cackin hen that just had to spread some gossip around!! She told me that she was gonna report me to the market director for selling too cheap! her words were "below wholesale and that is illegal" WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT NERVE OF HER!! I even though I sure didnt have to explain my method of pricin to HER stated that this is our first pickin and it is smaller ears and also it isnt our usual good corn. It is peaches and cream NOT OUR AMBROSIA (which by the way is some ROCKIN CORN) so we decided to let it go a dollar a dozen cheaper. She kept up so by this time i had it with this big bully and told her I AM NOT changin my price to match everyone elses THAT IS CALLED DICTATORSHIP!! She has a reputation of being a bully and attacks everyone with produce about their prices if they are just a tiny bit lower than her.. Remember Seinfeld? the soup guy!! well here is the "PRODUCE WOMAN" anyway we had words and I basically said I dont have time for this nonsense and that I have to finish my set up. GEEEEEZZZZZEE I just wanted to yell BITE ME!! I have had it with this tyrant.. she made the poor kid that used to be next to me nervous because before he would even get out of his truck she was right there in his face askin what his fruit prices are!!
You know I have heard rumors from a few folks at this market that she has nerve since she buys alot wholesale to sell.. I really think they should do surprise farm inspections on the farm vendors because I can write quite a book about the LIES and UNTRUTHS I hear come out of some peoples mouths whom I know for a fact sell things they dont grow!!
WAY TOO MUCH DRAMA FOR ME!! LOL
Ok done venting now.
Here is the line up for market tomorrow:
blueberry pies, blueberry crumble pie, blueberry butter cakes, a 7 up cake, Grandma Roses's Oatmeal raisin coconut cookies, chocolate chocolate chippers, choc-oat chip nut cookies, chunky peanut peanut butter cookies, 3 kinds of fresh veggie salsas, some of my infamous (he he) "cluckin spicy silly dilly beans" a new spin on my silly dilly beans, these have red pepper flakes, onions and some spices in them along with the dill. A few fresh peach pies, some garlic oregano breadsticks, cinnamon raisin bread, and OH TA DA!! A very new hot from the oven idea!! do you remember my little blueberry blossoms? well I made cherry ones today and also apple walnut!! Will try to remember to take pics of those at market tomorrow cuz they turned out just FABO!! and TOO TOO CUTE!~! and made some cheddar onion bread and more cardamom loaves. I think that is about it! oh and my recipe of cherry almond muffins, mini cherry almond cupcakes, and loaded carrot cake with praline topping. OK now i think that is it!! I have been a bakin fool lately huh!! LOL too many ideas and not enough time........for sure........
SO have a blessed evening and weekend and I will let yall know how market goes tomorrow!!
HAPPY WEEKEND YALL!!!
HUGS
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Busy Tues

HELLO~~
Wow the weeks go by so dang fast and we have had such a beautiful absolutely glorious summer so far it is gonna be sad to see ol man winter knockin on our doors!! The last few days my mom and I have made lots of goods.
We did up more of our silly dilly beans and I came up with what I am calling "CLUCKIN SPICY SILLY DILLY BEANS" which just means they are jacked up with some great spices. Mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, fresh garlic and also some chili powder!! Cluckin good!! LOL
and we made some more mild hot pepper jelly, some carmel apple jam and today I want to try to sneak over to the kitchen to make some banana nut bread jam!~sounds sinful dont it???
Maybe make a few more pancake mixes up and cookies. My brother has to have some surgery on his foot so we are plannin on leavin around noon so that doesnt leave me alot of bakin time today oh well can go when we get home too i supposse.
Well all the girls are doin good keepin up with egg production and we added 24 of the babies to the "flock" they are big enough to be mixed in now, i just feel so bad for them as the girls ahve their peckin order and usually the babies all get pecked at the first few days, I try to watch them closely though and hollar at the olders ones. I know i wont stop it but i dont like the babies being picked on. This set of little ones is so sweet too. We have some isla browns, rhode island reds, white plymouths and not too sure what the mixed ones, our hatched eggs are but they are just little honeys!!
It is looking more and more like rain so hopefully it doesnt blow over us like the last few days has, we need rain!!

Better get my butt off to get some things done so with that I say have a blessed day and will chat more soon!!!
HUGS
Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Farmgirl's BLING

Here's my little HAM! MS ROSIE MAY~!~

an order for tomorrow am of a dozen muffins

Some of my chicken scratch sweet pickle slices oh they are yummy on a sandwich by the way!!

my blueberry blossoms (which are very very popular) and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh so yummy!!

MY RECIPE!~ tootin my own horn by the way!! LOL PEACH PRALINE MUFFINS.. my absolute favo muffin now!!

ok so I have decided that I have some BLING!! well my baked goods have BLING!!

You see last night I put a glaze on almost everything we made for market.. from muffins to breads to cakes they all had a bit of a flavored glaze ontop thus..........farmgirl "BLING"

kind of catchy huh??

so market was good today the weather held out and actually warmed up by noon but until then it was chilly!! sweatshirt layer weather!! can u believe that for the end of JULY??? only 63 degrees when i went to leave this am!! BRRRRRRRRRRR.. but better than in the 90s i must admit!!

You know I have 3 Isa Brown "girls" that tend to lollygag at night so bad they are drivin me nuts!! the 3 of them every night act like little kids, one will run up the ramp to go in the coop then dart down and go get a drink or see a spot that there just might be a worm or bug and start scratchin then another one has to come back out and see what the first one was doin, then the 3rd one will take off in a different direction to distract me or something!! I SWEAR ... such shannagaans they play!! and everynight too.... plus hubby found a nest of 18 eggs laying near one of his sheds, well so today they were closed in their big pen and boy i bet they are plottin and schemeing against me so I will be "ON GUARD" while doin chores tonight!! LOL they are just too stinkin funny...

As you can see by the above pic my camera hog is "Miss Rosie May" one of our goats and she is just too darn cute too. and believe me she knows what to do with her horns too!! she sometimes chases me in the pasture and I have been known (by hubby only) to have a bruised tush!!

Anyway I better get my labels printed for my order goin out in the am and then off to do chores and shower and bed for me and the boys!! Have a wonderful night!

PS btw I will be outside doin a rain dance if you wondered... as we havent gotten any and sure need some!!

see ya.....

HUGS

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Tues happenings

Here is a close up pic of a chicken windmill hubby bought me and my moms old wood barrel that i put an old canner on top of and filled with some orange sunkist tomato plants.


a pic in front of the farmstand

This cute little guy was just chillin on an old fire truck part by our deck. Love his colors!!

Hey yall!!

What's crowin by you??? or cacklin?

I took my dear mom out to breakfast yesterday and then we made our rounds to the stores!! stopped a quite a few and loaded by poor chevy blazer full!! LOL we sure had fun though, had to replenish ingredients at the bakery so of cource lots of flour, brown sugar, powdered sugar and etc.........and we even managed to NOT get into any trouble!! yeah!! Then while i was getting trying something new for supper she and my brother pulled in and asked if I wanted to go for some ice cream!! WELL YEAH! OF COURCE!! we only get ice cream shops open for a few short months so figure we should patronize them regularly!! RIGHT??? LOL since it was early enough only 4.30 or so I put everything on hold and ran with them, then we decided i needed more jelly jars so went in a local grocery store bought them, then off to a health food store to buy some more dried dill weed for my next batch of my "silly dilly beans" and also got some mustard seeds, whole cloves, pickling spices, dried cilantro and parsley for more dip mixes and organic corn flour and whole wheat flour (to make my boys treats with)

By this time hubby was coming home but i did manage to get some black raspberries and blackberries picked to make ? what else more jalapeno jelly!! LOL how good does "very berry pepper jelly sound???? yummy!! gosh and you are talkin to a jalapeno whimp here!! dont like anything hot~ but this jelly I have been making is so good!! and really only a bit of a bite after the sweet taste! I love to see the reactions of people when they try a sample!! it is so like having 2 totally different tastes in your mouth!! IF anyone would like some you can order right here from my blog!! I have a 4 oz jar for $3.00 and an 8 oz jar for $5.50 plus their travel expenses to you also... I am sure you wont be disappointed everyone so far has loved it!! and we had the cherry on our turkey sandwiches my mom made on sat at market!!

Now I did get some local fresh peaches, yes it is hard to believe it is that time already!! where oh where has the summer gone??? but we sure have had strange but somewhat nice weather here, been really chilly but plesant oh back on peaches gonna try a new recipe i came up with for peach praline muffins, peachy jalapeno spread and then maybe play around in the kitchen today with some scones!! I havent made them for a few weeks and I want to try something out...... will keep ya updated on the new flavor combos i am workin on!! OH so much clucking fun!!

.~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

TGIF~~

Here are a few pics from yesterday market day. I decided to take a portion of my craft display and add it on the end of the booth. I think it looked great and we sure made good use of the space.

My new display rac (not new but repurposed rack)

Customers made some nice comments about the booth and also liked the baskets on the shelves of the display rack on the end. IT sure did hold alot so will def use this one for markets!! maybe add another on the other end too.

Well at long last we got some nice rain yesterday and some today!! WOO HOO!! YIPPEE!! we surely needed it. The gardens are growing superbly and this rain made everything grow so much overnight!!

YEAH!! Well i did it AGAIN!! Came up with another great recipe!! this one is for cherry jalapeno preserves and it was a super big hit at market yesterday so made another 2 batches this am at the kitchen!! then it was on to baking: tomorrow I am taking with me the following:

Cinnamon raisin bread, cinnamon swirl bread, banana blueberry bread, cheddar onion bread rounds, cheddar pepper onion bread, glazed cinnamon buns, my recipe of a hopefully great desert!!BERRY CHERRY CRISP!~!~ I used some of our sweet cherries mixed with some of our black raspberries and blackberries!! topped off with a crumb oat crisp!! It smells yummy!!

Also made a few blueberry cream cheese pies, mini cherry pies, blueberry and peach blossoms, (my mini version of a pie topped with cource sugar and butter) zucchini pineapple bread, pistachio bread, luscious lemon bread with pecans, some more dip mixes and crisp mixes, chunky granola cereal pkgs, mini peach blueberry cobblers, mini peach cobblers, butter crumb topped blueberry muffins, and chewy chocolate chocolate chip cookies. WHEWWWWW I think that is it~~that is enough plus I had a few muffins from thurs in the freezer so I am taking them with too. I also have 4 kinds of cookies and some double dipped pretzels to take too. The booth should be full which is how i like it!! LOL

I hope yall have a blessed evening I am off to relax in the recliner with my boys!! then off to do chores and close the farmstand and SLEEP! which I am kind of ready for NOW!LOL

Talk to ya soon!!

~~HUGS~~

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

New background!!

I just love this background!! IT so fits a farm blog huh!! LOL what do yall think?
LOVE LOVE THE COLORS! IT IS SOOOOOOOO ME!!!


HAVE A GREAT TUES!!
Darlene ~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

I be Jammin Monday

I had fun at the kitchen today!!

Well I did it i made BLUEBERRY JALAPENO PRESERVES today, and OH i have to tell yall!! YUM YUM!! we dug right on in after filling all the jars. Of cource there was just enough left for us to try some.... we got out the cream cheese and some sesame covered crackers and oh I thought the hot pepper jelly was tasty!! this was incredible!! i can just see this one being used on pork or poultry (well maybe NOT CHICKEN!!)lol) but it has a very distinctive taste. Tomorrow I am pickin some sweet cherries to make Cherry jalapeno preserves and then another flavor which will be COMING SOON!! LOL so I got 20 jars today and think i will make another couple of batches for august when we celebrate the blueberry festival in south haven, MI which I need to get extra sleep the weeks before cuz i am here to tell yall there aint no time to sleep that week!! I dream of different blueberry deserts and such I can come up with. So far I want to dry some fresh blueberries to get em ready for a blueberry white chocolate biscotti I think we will make. AHHHHHHHH this is the life!! I am so thankful and so exstatic for this life I have been given!!!

I am adding a pic of one of our crazy crazy fun roosters...

This is Charlie and his is one WILD AND CRAZY GUY!! he has his little heirum for sure, usually there are at least 8 of the gals that hang just with him close by the house, we figure he is blind in his right eye as it looks like a cataract on it but it doesnt stop him at all!!

Well have a great night!!

Talk to ya soon!

~HUGS~

Darlene ~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

a DAY to REST!!

These are another MY recipe~~ lavander lemon triangles. These are so yummy and sold out, I started out with a buttery soft crust filled with our organic lavander buds, then whipped up a slight lemon topping added a few more lavander buds and topped with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. OH SO YUMMY and the smell when you took the top off the plate!! DELICIOUSO!!

Oh my dear friend Ruth (also my partner in crime at markets these days and baking helper) is making these wonderfully herb infused vinegars!! love the colors when you buy a bottle she also gives ya a super little recipe book for all fresh market recipes.

some muffins that sold out

My little sundae in a cupcake cupcakes!! buttercream frosting topped with at drizzle of melted chocolate.

this is just a view of the one side of booth. We get so many compliments from people and also alot of folks take pics and tell me "this is such a great setup for a farmers market" I do try!! I want it to be a reflection of me and my farm and of cource be all about the market!!

I love to mix up the colors of the beans but miss the purple ones. They are not quite ready for pickin as of today.

Purple sweet onions LOVE that color!!

Oh and this was a big hit my spicy cucumber salsa!! we have alot of big ol cukes so found a recipe for salsa and jacked it up a bit with some herbs and spices! it is so yummy but only a tsp for me as we dont do spicy foods!! TUMS will love us too much I am afraid.

I put in fresh maters, cukes, zucchini, and onions plus a bit of apple cider vinegar and then fresh cilantro, and dill, lime juice and some seasonings.

HEY YALL!! Ok so today is gonna be totally about ME! well me and the boys and their wonderful daddy!! my hubby, love of my life, the one I share all my most intimate deepest secrets with, my soul mate and well my other half.. (since i am the better half) ROFL! right!! Anywho we are planning on stayin at home and doin some work in the gardens and maybe cut grass and take the boys for a ride on the golf cart... that is all fun stuff to do so that will be today!! I feel so exhausted but also am exhilarated when i look thru my old recipe books and the ton of cooking magazines i have been collecting over the last few years!! NO i am NOT goin to the kitchen today!! although i would like to can some jellies and more dilly beans oh and some zucchini relish and >>>>>>>>>>..NOPE not gonna do it~~~
I am gonna get ORGANIZED one of these days!! lol, i am sittin here making out a plan of what things to make for market this week. So far definetly need to do pistachio bread (had a couple of requests for that one), some blueberry banana bread, my chunky peanut peanut butter cookies, some chocolate chip nut cookies, more cookies, had requests for my luscious lemon pecan bread again, I am thinkin a cherry maybe banana bread? I am workin on a recipe for some tropical bread loaves, need to do my cinnamon swirl bread again , and maybe some cinnamon streusel topped cinnamon muffins, some mini cinnamon fruited coffee cakes, oh and how about root beer float cakes?? that just sounds so summery. as soon as i can figure out the recipe for that one i will be sure to take a pic of it when done! maybe a bit of a vanilla glaze on top would be perfect!! Oh Just not ENOUGH TIME to make everything!@! I am pickin up a few craft shows for the fall and winter with my baked goods and mixes and jams and jellies so that will be interesting to see how it goes!! I made up some farmhouse dip mixes and need to get them labeled and make a few for samples at market this week. with all the beautiful fresh veggies available i figured I needed to make some cool dips for them. Also did up a recipe for a buttermilk ranch dressing mix and it smells so incredible cant wait to taste it!! Salad is for tonight and also have a big pork loin smeared with dried rosemary and garlic in the crock pot along with some of our super sweet onions and fresh carrots and some taters!! YUM YUM!! makin me hungry now!

Well yall have a super blessed sunday!! and will chat more with ya this week!!

~~HUGS~~

Darlene

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

TGIF~~

~~HEY YALL~~~ Well the flour was a flyin today at the kitchen!! LOL had lots of things to make. Started out with another new recipe I came up with for a cherry almond rustic pie!! it smells yummy too!! also I altered my pistachio bread recipe and came up with Butter Struesel topped orange loaves, made some chocolate chip cookies, some lavander lemon triangles, (with our organic lavander buds) and these smell great!! and they look pretty and taste great too!! I will take my dig cam with me to market tomorrow to get some pics. Made up some blueberry orange butter crumb topped muffins, more of my cherry almond muffins, mini cherry almond bundt cakes topped off with a almond flavored glaze, some little blueberry blossoms, some apple with cream cheese blossoms and some garlic rosemary breadsticks. Oh then I found a recipe in one of my old quick cooking books for a banana cream pie well being the altering chick that I am I made Cream cheese banana pudding pie topped off with fresh blueberries! they look fabo!! I made some great smelling Cucumber salsa, since we are pickin cukes and usually have tons left!! this is gonna be good i made an extra container for me to have with chips tomorrow at market. THURS market in Allegan was super!@! a beautiful day too!! we sold lots and it was perfect weather outside.

Well I have to get off this puter my boys are mad and I have to spend some quality time with them tonight! I did pick some of our fresh green beans, and some round italian zucchini, plus some gold zucchinis so if you are near stop on by the farmstand and pick up some fresh produce~

have a blessed evening yall!!

HUGS~
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Tues madness!!

WOW what a day!! I dragged my mom with me to go get some supplies with me yesterday am, then today again!! LOL I spend more time drivin back and forth to stores i swear!!
Well at the kitchen today I made another new recipe up for Cheddar Apple Bread and it was yummy!! just needs more cheddar I think. Did up some banana blueberry bread, blueberry orange muffins, a few mini bundt cakes that are another :my: recipe, upside down cherry cakes, some chocolate chip cookies, a couple little personal coffee cakes filled with cherry preserves and a streusel butter topping, some strawberry apricot crumb bars and last but certainly not least some cherry almond muffins. Since we are right smack dab in the midst of cherry season figured I would go with the "cherries" and make cherry stuff!! Maybe I will do some cherry salsa tomorrow. I have to get some breadsticks done up and more cookies tomorrow especially the lavander shortbread ones. I am thinkin about draggin my poor mom out again to a big market in the am to chick it all out!!
Well off to close up the farmstand and do evening chores and hopefully NOT get attacked by any angry chickens!! LOL
Have a peaceful evening yall!!
~~HUGS~~
Darlene
~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Produce Pickin!!

Here is the ad in the Country Register my friends and I are in!! SEE CHICKEN SCRATCH FARMS LOL

Cardamon bread rounds

I love this pic and think it is my favo!! Just picked sweet Rainier cherries and early blueberries!! My mom and I started pickin today!! We also picked some of our round italian zucchini, gold zucchini, plain ol zucchini and some tart cherries too. Mount morency cherries, but those are gonna get pitted and right into pies tomorrow!! for market.

It was a glorious farm day today!! in the mid 70's and just perfect pickin weather!! i worked at the flower shop helpin my mom make some funeral arrangements this am then came home and worked on the farm. I had to weed some of the beans, those dang ol weeds grow no matter what the weather is!! Hope yall had a sweet, safe and fun holiday weekend!! sad to see it over already!! summer just flies by as we stay so busy that I just want to take a day that hubby and I can do something special together and if we can with the boys that would be perfect!! of cource it gets so hot they are better off stayin at home in the AC!! Well Mr. Bubba is in the warm waterbed whatever the temp is!! crazy boy!!

A pic of a couple of our black raspberry bushes near the farmstand.


These bushes are just full of goodies to ripen!!

Well the "angry girls" were much happier today, they are all out and diggin and scratchin all over the farm. I kept them closed up friday and sat as there were a few hawks flyin around and yesterday they WERE MAD at me!! so i figured since we stayed at home ALL day they should be safe with us here and there. BUT boy when i went in the coop sunday am to do chores they were ANGRY!! they stretched their little necks up to see out the screen door and literally were "squackin me out" everyone was all in a tizzy!! I got brutally attacked when i reached over to pull their door open, one jumped on my back and scratched my neck, one reached from the crate she was sittin on and pecked at my cheek and mamma clara got my hand and arm when i reached in crate to feed her and her 2 little babes!! She went all "kung fo chicken" on my arm and even broke the skin thru my pink work gloves!! so there are bruises all over me!! I got the snot kicked right on out of me this weekend!! CRAZY!!

A few of the handmade soaps.

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~

Happy Happy fouth~

Some granola mix I made up called CHICKEN SCRATCH CRUNCH~chocolate granola mix!!

The cupcakes in backround were so darn cute! pineapple orange with buttercream frosting chocolate drops in center and orange zest on top.

Containers of my not too hot fresh tomato salsa, and my peach mango salsa! sold out!!

These are my lavander lemon cookies that went over really good at market!! Just a hint of lemon not to over power the sweet lavander taste.

Sold out!!Cardamom bread braids

Little cherry pies SOLD OUT you really cant see the cut out stars I put on top but they were so cute!

Peach dumplings!! these were sold out quickly!

CAN U BELIEVE IT IS ALMOST THE FOURTH OF JULY????????? I sure can't!! But I hope yall have a Happy and Safe Holiday Weekend!!

Well market was........ well THE BEST yesterday~~we were busy all day and sold out of almost everything we took!! This week I had my blueberry banana bread, straw banana bread, zucchini pineaple bread, cheddar bread rounds, cardamom bread braids and rounds, cinnamon swirl bread, banana butter crumb topped bread, and muffins, peach dumplings, cheery cherry pies (which i topped with stars cut from pie dough), lavander lemon shortbread cookies (yummo!~)chunky peanut peanut butter cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, orange pineapple cupcakes, orange marmalade pecan bread loaves, just to mention some of it! LOL Well today I have an order to deliver first thing this am to a nearby store so hope they can sell it all for this busy weekend!! I really decided this week NO SLEEP needed for me!! LOL i will probably sleep all day sunday to make up for all the baking hours this week!! But it sure is great!! I cant explain the feeling when someone who has bought from me comes back and says :that was the best pie or bread:

I just wish we could have an actual bakery but do however enjoy attending the local markets to get our name out there. It is great exposure for sure. Well better get my butt off here and get the morning things done so I can get to the kitchen and package and label everything that I made last nigth after market to take this am!! then it is back to kitchen to bake for tomorrows market!! WHEW!!!!!!!!!

Hope yall have a super duper safe and enjoyable weekend!

~~HUGS~~

Darlene

and happy baking yall!!

~~LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~~and SIMPLY~~