Hillbilly Hippie Fest 2011

It often seems like a never ending challenge to keep up with the chores, goals and tasks associated with building a sustainable homestead. There is always more work needing to be done than there is time to do it, and every trip up to the farm means work. I'm not sure we have ever set foot on the place without leaving utterly exhausted and sore. Yet all work and no play makes for good misery, so it is in this spirit that once a year, in the fall, we pause for celebration. Celebration of life, the harvest and all of our accomplishments over the previous year.

This (our second) annual celebration is not without much work itself, but the work seems easier to shoulder when done in the spirit of thanksgiving and yes, a little sense of pride. Indeed, we have accomplished a lot this past year, and it felt good to take pause and share an evening meal with friends, family and neighbors.

When we started planning this year's event, I knew I wanted to serve old-fashioned pulled pork, ribs and chicken. I fondly remember long nights in the fall with my grandfather cooking in preparation for family night at the Mason's lodge. It was slow and relaxing, not hard work at all really, and the food was simply amazing. There is nothing like the taste and tenderness imparted to meat by a low temperature smoke-filled pit. So a few weeks prior I rounded up some leftover concrete blocks and started working through design layouts to create a functional BBQ pit. After several attempts I finally settled on a layout that seemed to fit the bill, and was actually quite happy with it.

There is more to the story for sure as at least initially, Linda wasn't very agreeable that such lengths were necessary when a single row of blocks and some charcoal would make a suitable grill. At one point, she proceeded to re-arrange my design to demonstrate her idea. It's not that I didn't understand what she was saying, I really just wanted to do it my way. I had, after all, spent many hours thinking and preparing for the challenge.

The thing is, we southerners actually have a very sophisticated palette. We can taste the difference between a bag of charcoal and a stately hickory tree as a fuel source. Not to mention that one of the best, if not the best BBQ shack in the state is right down the road and the owners were expected to come. But sometimes you just have to sit there patiently and let a woman speak her mind and only then can you can go on about your business. So afterwards I re-re-arranged the blocks the way I wanted them and felt the pressure grow as I dismissed her suggestion, fully aware that this could get ugly if I messed it up.

Needless to say, I was completely thrilled when I fired up the pit at 7am on that frosty morning and the temperature slowly rose to 250 degrees and held there. All day long, there was hardly more than a twenty degree swing in temperature, and it worked better than even I expected. It certainly looks like a redneck oven, and there was considerable risk involved, but it cooked like Martha Stewart on steroids.

I usually make the point right up front that I don't consider myself a master of any given trade, and cooking is no exception. But like Henry Ford, I know how to find people who do. Case in point, if you want to know how to cook BBQ, learn from the man who has won more championships than anyone else, ever. Myron Mixon is that man. Although I have never met him, his book "Smokin with Myron" is a worthy investment when it comes to how to prepare and smoke meat. I used both his chicken and pork rub recipe and it was a home run. His method of incorporating apple juice for the last several hours was another great tidbit of information. Truth be told, I have never smoked meat on such a scale, and further truth, I've only smoked meat once before in my life. It took a quite a few favorable comments before I realized the guests weren't just being polite when they said it was good food, it really was good.

Several weeks prior we put up the gazebo, one of Linda's prized embellishments on the farm. She got it a couple years ago and it was quite impressive. Unfortunately a few weeks ago a storm rolled through the valley and we arrived one day to find it a twisted pile of metal and fabric, laying in and around the creek. After realizing it was not repairable, we got another shelter, this time a big strong one that took considerable work to erect. Yet once again, by the end of the day Sunday a strong wind blew it over as we were cleaning up. This time, however, it wasn't destroyed completely, although I'll be searching spare parts catalogs looking for a replacement pipe for one that bent.

We also did another wine tasting this year and brought out samples from the five 2009 series vintage. Admittedly, they are not quite there yet but I see forward momentum in the quality and craftsmanship. The results were close, but the Cab was highly praised, slightly behind the Noire Trilogue, which was the chosen favorite.

I then brought out a few mason jars containing a clear liquid home brew with a little more kick which caused a small line of some very interested locals to form. 'Shine has some very deep roots in this part of the country and I was truly a mortal among giants as experienced old men in overalls sipped, smacked lips and pondered the flavor. None of them said much, and I guess that's the way it is supposed to be, but they each nodded and approved with other forms of non-verbal communication. Finally, the highly respectable local legend uttered the only four words I heard him speak all night and said, "ya done good, boy".

Fireworks are still legal here so we purchased about 48 of those ultra loud, high bursting, colorful ones like you see at major events. This has become somewhat of a tradition on the farm, I think because there are so many fireworks stores on the way here that it is never too far from the back of the mind. We followed this with probably my favorite event of the weekend, the release of sky lanterns. Originally, I thought of attaching candles in white paper bags to helium balloons, but during my research I ran across the sky lanterns and it seemed to me that someone had a better idea than my own so I went with it, and used the bags as ground decoration, which also worked out nicely from a visual standpoint.

Earlier in the day Brian and I had cut down a poplar tree and formed the boundary for a large fire pit, which he now piled on about a truck load of seasoned oak causing a rather large fire. We all sat around that fire until well into the night, and one by one the guests who were camping made their way to their tents. The night air was brisk, but considerably warmer than the night before, yet some still found it too cold and sometime in the middle of the night made their way back over to the still glowing embers. Those same embers provided the heat for bacon, sausage, hash browns and pancakes the next morning.

All in all it was a huge success. Of special note is that we finally found the name for the farm by holding a naming competition around the camp fire. Some of the suggestions were more suitable than others, but in the end it was put to a vote and "Star Valley Farms" was the winner. Quite suitable as the night sky view is one of the most beautiful aspects of the property.

One of the most important things about this lifestyle is knowing that you can't do everything yourself. You need friends and neighbors and you need to fit in. These folk don't want somebody from the city moving in and changing things or being snobs. It's important to show respect and to serve those who can make or break you, and to give back a little when you can. That's what being southern is all about. That's what life is all about.

Last week, Doc came by and installed the new steps and landing which was a welcome addition. We need the landing in order to pass occupancy inspection, and given our past experiences with the county codes and permit office, I would just as soon let somebody else deal with those morons. In fact, the very same morons have stalled the water and electric permits in a never ending battle of incompetence vs wit. It is for this reason that we have decided to sub-contract anything having to do with inspections and permits to the local good-ole-boys that hunt, fish and go to church with the county inspectors. Hopefully, it will prove to be a smart move.

So this weekend the weather turned cooler and made it possible to get some tough work done. On the agenda was putting up the gazebo frame, weed eating around the barn and cutting down two large hickory trees on the hill which were in danger of falling on the cabin. The gazebo went up quickly and Linda did most of the work while I put on my climbing harness, checked the rope and prepared the saw. Once on the ledge, I tied off and cleared the underbrush. Then I sat there for a while, mapping out a strategy and gathering my nerve. These trees were big. Really big. My main concern was placement, as they had to fall in a specific place in order not to hit the cabin or the retaining wall. Indeed, the pressure to perform was on, but in the end, I dropped them almost perfectly.

We spend the rest of the day cutting, splitting and stacking the bounty. My neighbor Chris felt sorry for me and my little Homelite chainsaw so he lent me his 20" Stihl. OMG... this thing was a beast. When it started up, it sounded like a Ferrari on crack. When you are outside on fall days and hear a chainsaw miles in the distance, this is what they are using. It was mean and heavy and it sliced through logs like a razor blade through warm butter. Relatively speaking, if not for a short pee break I might have finished sawing before I even started. On my return Chris pointed out that the tree was covered in poison ivy and indeed, in my rush of excitement, I hadn't noticed. In retrospect, this is the kind of thing that one should realize before going to pee rather than after.

The sun set on another work weekend and I sat for a moment with it, feeling good about what we had accomplished. This week saw the wine bottled, the fields mowed, the hay bailed, the gazebo put up, the landing installed, the trees removed and the firewood stack increased. The corn was happy, swaying in the cool breeze and life was good.

Summer

It's hard to believe that it has been six months since my last blog entry. I think this is due in part to being so busy, and admittedly a little undisciplined when it comes to maintaining a blog. Regardless, it is time to provide a progress update on our adventures.

Over the summer we had the cabin delivered and set up. Charlie installed the septic and plumbing so we were able to put away the porta-potty. Without the well, flushing meant several trips per day down to the stream to fetch a five gallon bucket of water. It didn't take long before we contracted Bub to dig a well, which is in place awaiting decision of whether or not to go solar with the pump.

Cost-wise, it's just about a wash. I plan on being off the grid, and we have been for six months by using two deep cycle DC batteries and solar panels, but providing enough power for the well pump means having to purchase more panels. I don't think we're ready for that just yet, so for now we are having the power company drop a residential line to the cabin. This decision was made easier when we spent the week of July 4th there working in what is undoubtedly the hottest time of the summer. I don't think I could get much work done without some really big fans or air conditioning- or both.

Linda has done a wonderful job outfitting and decorating the cabin interior. Garage sales, flea markets and discount stores all have contributed to the cozy furnishings. We also installed a block retaining wall after discovering that the entire mountain seemed to be washing away behind the cabin every time it rained. Yet another unexpected expense.

Over the next two weeks we should complete the electrical grid hookup and have running water. These have been the last obstacles to being ably to live "comfortably" in our little cabin. By winter, we should have the screened porch close to completion. I'm really looking forward to being able to sleep on the porch, like we used to do at my aunt's place. It will double the size of the cabin, and provide some much needed shade and shelter from the summer heat. Winter will also mean it's time to install the wood stove. I'll start cutting firewood as soon as the weather cools down to add to last years stack that has been drying in the barn. The first tree to go will be the one high on the hill behind the cabin. With it's exposed roots it could fall in a strong wind, and if it didn't hit the cabin it would surely crash into the new retaining wall.

The garden went fairly well this year. With the exception of a late stand of corn and some butter bean plants that just came up as a result from plowing under this years expended plants, I have harvested everything already. We managed to put away several quarts of dried peas and beans, corn, potatoes, onions, okra and peppers. I'll be making picked peppers and hot chow chow tonight and that should wrap up my harvesting chores until the late corn comes in. I doubt if there is enough time left in the season to get a second harvest of beans from the new plants.

So, there it is- the long awaited update. More to come soon, including pictures and the latest news on the 2011 wine.

Spring

I absolutely hate winter. The only two redeeming qualities that I look forward to every winter are chicken stew and the crackle of a warm fire in the fireplace on a Sunday afternoon. Yes, that's pretty much the extent of my tolerance for this god-forsaken season. Everything is dead, and I'm not feeling much life either.

So it comes as no surprise that every spring, I come out of hibernation alongside the rest of nature. The first days above 60 degrees have me dreaming of spring planting and starting seeds indoors anticipating the coming days of April. Usually, by February I have the garden planned, even when the only space to grow is at our limited house in town. And likewise, I am often over ambitious, ending up having to give away multitudes of seedling vegetables to anyone who will take them.

However, this winter we were a little more productive than usual. With the pastures in better shape and the fruit orchard planted, we had time to focus on the next phase of our operation, putting a cabin on the property. This was a case of someone's loss becoming our gain, as we managed to purchase a small log cabin from a bank repossession. It's small enough that we can have it transported to our property, and our good friend Charlie brought the big dozer over to carve a nice flat spot in the mountain for it. All we are waiting on now if for it to get dry enough to haul it in.

We were able cut and stack a good supply of firewood, with the help of the new manual hydraulic wood splitter. A neighbor friend gave us over a dozen huge oak trunks which nearly filled the woodshed once split and stacked. I also planted about a half acre of winter wheat which has over-wintered very well, so we are looking forward to trying some fresh bread soon using the new Country Living grain mill.

I did find that the assortment of plows that came with the tractor was lacking one really needed implement- a bottom plow. I needed to turn the grass under so I paid a visit to the local tractor dealer and then the wheat field plowed up nicely. This weekend I will plow under the 2011 garden spot and get it ready, which is also roughly half an acre and runs alongside the wheat patch.

Over the fall I pieced together an irrigation pump, some solar panels and a DC/AC power inverter. I still need to get a few deep cycle batteries and build an enclosure for the system, but it will be ready by the time we need it. After the devastating drought last year, I am determined not to let that much hard work go to waste again. Figuring all those solar power calculations was an interesting learning experience. When I flip that switch I'll either be dancing or cursing my way back to the drawing board, but I'm actually pretty confident in the numbers.

The band is still booked every weekend through the summer, which is a great source of income, but leaves little time for working at the farm. Over the winter we have been ramping up our food reserves of dry goods, meats, grains and canned items (I'll blog about our reasons later) and have decided that given the time restrictions we foresee this summer, it doesn't make a lot of sense to try and plant high maintenance crops that require daily monitoring during harvest season. Instead, I'll be growing crops suitable to dry in the field, or harvest green all at once. We'll add the dry goods to our reserves and skip the canning of fresh vegetables for the most part.

We'll buy or trade for a couple cases of tomatoes for canning, as they are quick and easy to put up. Lettuces, Cucumbers, Squash, Peppers and a few other kitchen vegetables I can grow in town like every year. I will miss the okra though, and may have to make a trip to the farmers market as I am down to the last few packs in the freezer.

So, I've completed successful germination tests on the following and have plenty of seed stock:

• Black turtle beans


• Red Kidney beans


• Jackson Wonder butter beans


• Navy beans


• Red Calypso baking beans


• Mississippi cow peas


• Honduran Lima beans

These will definitely make it into the garden. I'll also be planting a patch of Soy beans for roasting, and Floriani Red flint corn, along with red, white and yellow onions, garlic, leeks and shallots. Down in the lower section I'll set out the seed potatoes and peanuts. If all goes well, I'll plant at least a half acre more of hard white wheat for berries and straw.

I've got a dozen or so Blackberry and Raspberry bushes to plant in the orchard along the fence by the Blueberry patch, and I need to find a good permanent spot for the Asparagus roots and a few grape vines I bought earlier this month.

Speaking of grapes, I have both Chery and Blackberry wine in fermentation, and a wonderful batch of 2009 Italian Montepulciano grape wine aging on oak. The remaining 2009 Cabernet are bottled and aging quietly downstairs in the 60 degree "cellar". (the space formerly known as the basement) I may pull them out this fall or I may let them rest another winter, it all depends on how they progress over the next several months.

Even though I detest winter, this past one wasn't so bad with regards to getting stuff done. Maybe I'm just getting soft in my old age.