Making sense of scents, or not...

My mother loved her smell good lotions and potions! She was known for pillow cases and clothing that always smelled of or “like” her. It was a pleasant thing. Something I will always remember with good thoughts.

Alas as most of us now know, many of those perfumy lotions and potions are tainted with phthalates to make the fragrances last. Chemicals…ewww and yuck!

I’ve worked hard to rid my world of all things containing those chemicals. Ridding my world of products containing these chemicals didn’t mean I stopped enjoying the smell of good fragrance. I have a very keen sniffer. This can be a blessing and a curse but I am actually proud to claim it. When embracing a chemical free life we have to work through the “life we once knew” and adapt. I did quite well for years but was never far from the temptation toward those glorious scents of flowers and spices in my personal spaces. Essential Oils are always a wonderful and available option but I for one am not good a repetitive anything, application included. I knew I would remain in a “chemical free” state but always morn for those scents that lingered so to catch the slightest whiff when you weren’t expecting it. And I also appreciate the smell of good ole nature!

As shepherds and makers of wool products, more specifically our wool dryer balls we were proud to offer a toxic free laundry option that was 100% chemical free, 100% naturally grown fiber, 100% humanely raised and harvested and honestly breaks all standards for sustainability. SIDENOTE: Several years ago WholeFoods introduced a grading system. Every single vendor had to go through a third party for quality standards vetting…it was arduous and quite frankly expensive but we did it…

Transparent & Sustainable

not all wool dryer balls are created equal. Do your research and buy the best!

Drum role please …

Stoney Mountain Farm was honored with the highest (green) ranking for being 100% transparent and sustainable! Although after the Amazon purchase of Wholefoods our products are no longer in their stores we sure earned the shelf space at the time!

Forgive me for having changed subjects a bit. My plan was to share the feedback we get from all of our customers that made the switch to our dryer balls, regarding scent…

Many said after making the switch, I don’t miss those heavy smells. Some said, why don’t folks recognize and choose the smell of fresh air?

I get it. Many scents don’t smell of ‘nature’. Some are so heavy and honestly can be quite offensive. I recall being out for a run, imagine my visual in this farming community, huge pastures as far as the eye can see yet I get a whiff of BOUNCE, argh…nothing natural about it! Or we’ve all had those moments in public when someone passes and the smell literally HITS you it’s so heavy. No one that has left the chemical laden products world wants anything to do with those moments. Heck, I have one customer that buys our product to give to anyone new in her neighborhood just to help assure she isn’t HIT with a waft of that awful smell of dryer sheets.

So, how did I find my “scents about me”? I literally found out about phthalate free fragrance options and liked them so much in my personal spaces that I decided to add them to our product line! Believe me these have been awhile in the making. I researched and researched for “fresh” “clean” pleasing scents, knowing that is certainly subjective.

I, once again, enjoy the addition of fragrance on my pillow cases and remembering my momma ❤️

Lamb Sliders

Its getting to be that season we dust off the outdoor grills. BTW, I hear you grilling artists out there saying grilling has no season, it’s year round! Have you noticed burgers are off the charts trendy right now? Restaurants, chefs and home cooks alike are changing flavor profiles, adding unusual ingredients like beets? Varying meats and meat combos or meatless options. Varying the bun type and gracious the add ons ! Well I’ve got one to add to the selection that could be your new superstar. I know every time I’ve made them I quickly become the best cook ‘for the moment’ I’ve made these Lamb Burgers for wedding functions, catering events and just hubbie and me. My very favorite rendition is as mini sliders

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Stoney Mountain Farm Lamb Sliders

1 pound Ground American Lamb

1 link Italian sausage, casing removed

3-4 cloves garlic, grated or minced

¼ C grated onion

½ T cumin

½ t cinnamon

1 t fresh chopped cilantro or ¼ t coriander

1/8 -1/4 t hot pepper flakes

1-2T fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg

½ Cup oatmeal soaked in milk

S&P to taste

Feta or goat cheese

Place all ingredients, except cheese, in a bowl and mix well (I use my hands).  The mix will seem wet.  Form into 1” balls, place on roasting rack or prepare for grill.  Flatten the patty gently, then press dime size ball of cheese into center.  Cover with just enough additional meat mixture that the cheese is sealed in.  Roast in 400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes or starting to brown.  You can turn to broil if you like a crispier texture.  I also like to grill them.  These are also great regular burger size but the sliders are alot more fun!

Serve in “slider” rolls now available in most groceries.  “Hawaiian Bread “Slider” rolls are a great option. I serve these with pickled onions or an onion relish but tomatoe relish or any one or combo of these would be great.

Tagged: burgers, lamb burgers, ground lamb, grilled lamb, party food

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HOW TO BE THE BEST SHEPHERD: Lessons from a sheep

WILLOW 2008-2022

It was a mighty sad day for me as I faced the loss of Willow, born here 13 years ago. Willow was one of the first lambs born on this farm.

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Willow was a registered Navajo Churro sheep. She was short legged and a wee bit stocky but ALWAYS healthy and always had an extra skip in her step. Her breed characteristics were spot on with her double coat of strong Navajo wool. Although her legs were short they were clean and strong. Her wool finished into a nutmeg color yarn. As lovely as she was she was so much more. She was friendly and approachable, unless she had babies!

Willow was that one sheep you wanted all your sheep to take after. Basically Willow and I grew up together. Over time I realized how much less effort Willow took compared to some that seemed to always need extra attention. This was her primary lesson to me as a farmer. The farmer, the one that runs the operation and makes a go of things

As the shepherd, the one to watch over the flock, I believe we need to understand a bit about their ways. I began this farm applying “human” thoughts to their care. Don’t get me wrong I have learned we need to apply some human wisdom to manage an operation like this but I also think working with the sheep makes for a happier easier environment all the way around. Take Temple Grandin for example, she learned to understand the animals behaviors and then apply what she learned to some of the most efficient livestock handling systems, EVER! If working with their behaviors isn’t too disruptive to the operation why not let it be? I am aware a large operation could probably not allow some of the things we have allowed here…guess for that reason I’m glad were small! BTW, if you haven’t seen the movie, Temple Grandin starring Clare Danes, do it!

OK, so back to Willow. As Willow and I were growing up together and she was teaching me to be aware on a day to day basis what shepherding involved, it was always her mothering that gave me constant challenge. She was a GREAT mom. She just didn’t want human interference. From her first lambs to her last, she would birth where she wanted and would do everything in her power to keep her lambs from us. Even after years of experiencing our gentle hand and kindness she did it her way. It wasn’t until the year I decided that Willow deserved a break from breeding that I got the clearest defiance of all, and the clearest lesson! Some years back I wrote about our human interventions and Willow (click on the link if you’d like to read the whole piece) and this is basically what I said:

The other day I was rehashing a decision to want to keep one of our older ewes back from breeding. She has given us plenty of beautiful babies. She deserves to rest, I thought. So, I did just that. She went to spend her time grazing in green pastures with the teenagers. What a glorious gift, or was it?

Well, to shorten what could be a very long tale, Willow, that’s her name, ended up pregnant anyway. How? We’ll never be 100% sure. Through a fence? Could be, but boys were not in adjoining fences except for short stints while moving sheep? Could she be that fast? One of our lambs might have been more mature then we thought? Like i said, we’ll never know for sure.

A funny thing happened on that day I realized she was with lamb, as I walked away from her pasture something beckoned me to look back. There went Willow trotting away from me and kicking up her heels.

She was mighty happy.

It’s as if she was saying to me, I love being a mom! You don’t get to decide.

I believe I had just been reminded, we’re not necessarily smarter then mother nature!

So, Willow, I will always remember your gifts. I promise to remember everything you taught me. I promise to honor mother nature and to always try to understand the great spirit from your perspective.

Thank you my friend

Lamb Bone Broth /Stock

A staple in cultures across the globe, bone broth is a key ingredient in cooking and for gut health. It can be enjoyed as a healing elixir, in stews, a welcome addition to casseroles, or the base for many a soup.

Generally made from chicken or beef bones, the comforting flavor of lamb broth will add variety to your epicurean or healing repertoire . 

slow simmered satisfying BROTH

Lamb is high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that regulates the control of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in regulating your mood, and making you feel calm, relaxed and sleepy. And even better, helps regulate your appetite .

Incorporating lamb in your diet will help you build a strong immune system, due to its generous antioxidant content. Lamb is rich in a very highly absorbable form of zinc, important for strength, hormone production, cardiovascular and bone health.

It is especially important to find stock bones from humanely raised healthy animals or wild game like deer.

Conventionally raised animals that are fed a diet of genetically modified grains loaded with pesticides and herbicides and other chemicals and heavy metals should never be used. The body naturally stores many toxins in the fatty portions of the bone and that is what you are consuming in your bone broth.

It is best to know the farm and farmer where you are getting your stock bones. The more grass and green foods the animals eat the more rich the nutritional value of the meat and bone contents. Some grain in the feeding is acceptable unless you have celiac.

So, how to do it?

I like to have a mixture of large and small bones. The larger bones have more marrow and smaller bones offer more gelatinous material. I toss them with olive oil and garlic and roast them in a 400 degree oven for about an hour or until I smell them. I then cover them with water and add the ubiquitous aromatics, celery, onion, carrots, raw, or start with a mirepoix. As you simmer it if any foam develops, remove and discard. After about an hour add parsley (or cilantro if you like. I’ve tried it, it’s good) a bay leaf and some fresh peppercorns. Allow it to simmer for another 4-5 hours. I then refrigerate it overnight and skim the fat, strain it, heat it again and add a bit of tomato paste, or not!

Healthy, yummy, and I always feel good making use of all the parts!

Farming through Covid

Recently I was asked if, given the extra “free time” during Covid, was I able to create more felted items? The short answer is no.

Why wasn’t I sitting with this quiet space and finding time to create? I kept telling myself to go sit with that lovely fiber, and make something! It wasn’t going to happen, no matter how I tried.

OK, don’t feel like felting or making? I could have used the time to work on our internal systems like fencing and paddocks?

At the very least I could have rearranged hay! LOL!

I had no creative JUICE?

Daily I was thankful to have this innocent, expansive space to loose myself in. I would walk about the farm, doing my chores, and take deep breaths. I would sit with the sheep and relish their innocence to the crazy that was around us. In so many ways my orbit was perfect for me!

I am so privileged to be out in this beautiful piece of nature everyday!

his very quiet and peaceful place was what energized my creativity in ‘normal times’.

Not this time?

I spoke to several folks that had the same problem.

I recall the early days of this farm. I could completely escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world. I could close the gate and nothing but nature was happening around me! My heaven on earth. After a few months of wrapping myself in this glorious space, even then, these same uninspired struggles appeared.

After some time pondering my lack of “juicy” I now realize…. in both instances, it was lack of human interaction. For me, nature is necessary and feeds my soul in the most tranquil of ways but human interaction is necessary too. It is after all human nature that we crave being around others. Connecting over common interests and goals, we become filled with pride and content. My soul filled with peace, buttered with the emotions of others, inspires me!

We need each other.

Turning 60

I have felt the magnitude of each of the decades in my rear view, in some way. My 20’s, I was psyched and totally high on life. 30, also psyched and totally enjoying earning a living and able to really enjoy the fruits of my labor alas, with slight pause that I left my 20’s. 40’s really hit but turned out to be my best decade to date. My 50’s, I thought would be worse but were pretty darn great. Turning 60 has taken a few deep, guttural swallows.

As the reality sinks in, I’m still digesting it. It feels WEIRD .

It seems I look at everything a bit differently…

and everyone looks at me a bit differently too…it seems.

When I think about the decades gone by I can summarize, I had a lot of fun in my 20’s and 30’s. I was trying to figure out who I was and what I really wanted out of my glorious life and what I wanted to contribute to this wonderful world. In my 40’s many of my life’s dreams came to fruition. My 50’s I was living those dreams. 60’s, well, yet to be seen….

My genetics gift me with a full head of white hair! So, when I get used to having all this white hair, I’ll have to agree I have a good head of it and then it shouldn’t be so bad?

As I’m sure everyone does, the “senior” discounts come as mixed blessings. I really looked deep for the glory in it all. Excited to get them but hated being asked.

One birthday wisher said they were her BEST years. I want so for that to be true and I am hopeful that will be so.

Alas, I’m still swallowing.

wool dryer ball transparency

As a new decade rolls out I think it’s time to share some information that many unsuspecting consumers may not be aware of. I realize many consumers make their decisions solely based on price. I also realize there are a whole lot of us that care about the impact of our purchases and want to know what goes into and on the products we buy. We prefer transparency.

The time has come!

We have been making and selling wool dryer balls from our N.C grown wool for over a decade and boy have I seen some changes in our wool dryer ball market! For one, the growth is exponential. When we began, if I mentioned the product, folks looked at me like I had lost my mind. Today, many have not only heard of them, they own them.

When we began this there were a handful of folks making them. We jumped in the game because we are a sustainable sheep farm and to be sustainable we must use what we grow. We had a barn filling up with wool. Many other sheep farmers were struggling with their wool gatherings and what to do with their harvest. We were determined to make it work. SO, wool dryer balls, why not give it a try? They were a huge hit. Folks really want to eliminate chemicals from their environments and provide a healthier home for their loved ones.

When we began there were several players that were buying U.S wool to make their product. We were actually growing our wool while they sourced theirs. Both models work. I mean really, wool dryer balls work! How you source them is totally up to you. I personally would go the extra mile and know the farm(er) to be sure the wool was cleaned without chemicals, that the sheep were handled humanely, and lastly that they were made with as much LOVE as possible…to get that much LOVE requires a fair wage!

In the early days everything seemed very transparent.

What went awry? I cannot help but call it what it is, …people saw an opportunity to supply a niche market with a much cheaper alternative…isn’t that always the way? I hate to admit it but it sure seems there is always someone who wants to jump to the highest margins regardless of ethics. So, those that wanted to capitalize on our growing wool dryer ball biz went overseas (of course) where they could source everything cheaply. The foreign alternatives are cheap mostly because of labor costs but also wool is cheap. Foreign sourced wool is generally cleaned with harsh chemicals that wouldn't be allowed in the U.S. Goodness only knows how the sheep are handled. Recently I heard that much of the wool grown here in the U.S is bought on the dime (maybe penny) from all those farmers that are busy farming and not able to develop markets, then shipped to foreign processors where it will be bleached to death and washed with out any standards, then comes back to you (us).

A few years ago, as I saw it happening, I reached out to a fellow colleague. With a very positive attitude she said, “Know we’re doing the right thing and they won’t bother us”.

Along the way we had wholesale clients call and say they were going to start buying and supplying these imports because “they couldn’t ignore the increased margins”. Sadly these companies (I won’t mention names) very beginnings were about transparency and “for the good of mother nature”?

We are so grateful for the folks that KNOW the difference and really CARE about transparency. We are so grateful to all of the folks that continue to support us.

You ARE making a conscious decision when you purchase our wool products!

Thank EWE!

It's hard not to project

As shepherds we think we know what’s best for our sheep. The benefit of years watching and learning from these creatures has helped me realize that most of the time, they do know best and don't need our interference. If we’ll listen to them and not try to “project” our human interpretation, we can see that. Sure, we have to get involved from time to time but I’ve found if we trust their instincts and get out of their way, they’ll often take care of things.

Like the ewe that insists on having her lamb in the woods, we let her. Is it the safest? Probably not but that’s what she wants to do. It makes it harder on us once she’s had the lamb to get them to safety but I believe allowing them to have those moments and make those decisions gives us a more mutually respectful relationship.

I’m sure there’s a shepherd or two out there ranting at me right now, “we must be able to manage them and that requires some degree of doing things in spite of their natural instincts.” Like I said, I realize there are times we need to step in and I realize my way isn’t going to align with most others…it’s just my desire to let them be as true to their natural ways as I can. I might pay for it with a little extra effort on my part but I believe I gain by raising sheep that are in touch with their intuitive ways.

The Girls!

The other day I was rehashing a decision to want to keep one of our older ewes back from breeding. She has given us plenty of beautiful babies. She deserves to rest, I thought. So, I did just that. She went to spend her time grazing in green pastures with the teenagers. What a glorious gift, or was it?

Well, to shorten what could be a very long tale, Willow, that’s her name, ended up pregnant anyway. How? We’ll never be 100% sure. Through a fence? Could be, but boys were not in adjoining fences except for short stints while moving sheep? Could she be that fast? One of our lambs might have been more mature then we thought? Like i said, we’ll never know for sure.

A funny thing happened on that day I realized she was with lamb, as I walked away from her pasture something beckoned me to look back. There went Willow trotting away from me and kicking up her heels.

She was mighty happy.

It’s as if she was saying to me, I love being a mom! You don’t get to decide.

I believe I had just been reminded, we’re not necessarily smarter then mother nature!

Willow

Weaning, a whole new meaning

Year before last we brought my dear mother here to the farm from a nursing home for her final journey.  We knew her time was short.  As we approach another anniversary of her arrival here and her passing and another year of weaning our lambs from their mommas,  I felt compelled to share something that happened during my mother's short time here.

On July 28th 2018, the day before she left this life, John and I were weaning the lambs from their mothers. The window of my mothers room looked out over the pasture where we were.  In the process of separating the sheep, I looked up (my heart and mind during those days were never far from her)  toward her window and room.  At that instant, I couldn't help but feel the magnitude of what we were doing...separating the babes from their mamas.   

To WEAN: accustom (an infant or other young mammal) to food other than its mother's milk.  accustom (someone) to managing without something on which they have become dependent or of which they have become excessively fond.

 We knew my mother was shutting down and that it wouldn't be long.  At this moment I felt the arms of mother nature comforting me.  Yes, it brought tears but in that moment I felt my mother communicating with me through nature as if to say, it is a fact in life, it is real,  and it is happening.  Sooner or later we must say good bye.

This year weaning will be no easier then it ever has for us.  We don't like separating them and for several years we didn't.  What we observed when we didn't wean is healthier lambs (less stress) but the mothers will drop from exhaustion trying to feed their babes and combat the heat.  Either choice is difficult and we make our annual determination based on environmental factors (heat, humidity etc) and weigb in the added stress...because it is real!  This year we've had such extreme heat I'm thinking not, for now.

I will never, ever,  take this process lightly.   I never did.  Especially now.   Nature speaks to me all the time.  Many of her messages bring me to tears.  This one...well, it really got me and will stay with me.

Strawberry Balsamic Basil Pops

A mouthful in word and flavor!

This time of year we’re all blessed with the bounty of glorious juicy naturally sweet seasonal fruits exploding from the gardens. Blessed with a basket of fragrant strawberries…plenty enough to make my ‘current’ favorite jam, Strawberry Rosemary. I still had plenty left.

What to do with the rest?

Make a strawberry pie, muffins, my new ‘current’ favorite Strawberry Cake, my grandmother’s strawberry shortcake, more of my new favorite jam (cause I never have enough)…..hmm, what shall I do?

Then I remembered my new pop sickle molds! I googled strawberry pops! I had no idea the number of results that would come up. Apparently strawberry pairs with a lot , even black pepper which I’ll try next time around.

Sooooo many combinations. Adding ice cream or yogurt, sugar, no sugar or sugar substitute, no dairy, straight fruit, water, lemon or lime juice…they’re all good.

A food processor, blender, or hand blender…strawberries (or any fruit really) some liquid (you choose what and amount…regardless they’ll freeze) ice cream or yogurt if you choose and herbs, if you choose.

Blend

Pour in molds

Freeze

Yum

Most of all I want to impress upon you….these are sooooo easy and I think a yummy refreshing treat to have around! The molds are inexpensive. And if you prefer really healthy they are so adaptable…again, everything freezes!

Start with about a pint of Strawberries. Remove stems. Throw in the blender or food processor. Add sugar, 1 Tablespoon to 1/3 Cup depending on your desired sweetness. Add about 2 cups of liquid or dairy or combination of. Blend. If you don’t want texture in your pops, blend alot…if you do want texture…don’t. If your adding herbs I like to wait until everything else is the consistency I want and then add the herb, blend just enough to have tiny bits throughout

If you’d rather specific directions to refer to…My favorite so far is Strawberry Balsamic and Basil…I just added about 1- 2 Tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar about 3/4 cup water and 4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice to the strawberries and sugar and threw in freshly torn basil leaves at the end. Each brand of pop sickle molds hold different amounts of liquid so you might have too much liquid. I adjusted my water and lime juice. More then once I’ve had extra liquid. The pops go fast so I cover and save the liquid in the fridge and when one pop disappears I refill and freeze!

Easy Peasy