Simply Sheep

So- I think I'll raise a few sheep she says.  Simple, right?  Well- I grew up in the city and missed out on that Future Farmers of America deal early on.  And I don't think they had a Girl Scout badge with the 4 S's (Sheep Selection, Shearing+ Slaughter) so I've been kind of learning on the hoof - so to speak.

When our family moved to this patch of land in 1992- we basically needed a few lawn mowers for 4 acres of pasture.  We acquired a motley crew of  sheep and goats and raised the small herd up to 30 animals at one point.  I lambed quite a few, sold some to those aforementioned 4-Hrs and had several end up in our freezer via commercial butchers or from a friend's skilled knife.
I kept the herd going for several years but life sort of got in the way and I stepped away from having livestock just as I was climbing the learning curve.   But I decided to start over again just last year.  I bought a few ewes via Craig's List  ('Have lambs.  Will sell or trade') and borrowed a ram from old Joe Otero down the road.  (His family has been here in the Rio Grande valley for 400 years at least and they've been raising sheep for much of that time)  I picked up another ewe or two and was up to 10 in the herd.  We bred them and wintered over waiting for the spring lambs.  Well- Christmas Eve with 2 dog attacks and 3 mortalities (life on even a small farm can be brutal at times) shrunk the herd.   But we lambed with all the girls having twins this spring and the mini-herd is now back up to 10 again.
We ended up with just one buck and I must say he is quite the handsome fellow.  He has some new girlfriends now as we recently found a new home for him.

The herd is still not big enough so we won't be doing any of our own butchering this year.  You gals are free to munch that nice pasture and enjoy your little sheep lives- for the time being that is....!

This must all be very boring (unless you're in to sheep I suppose) but my point is...(what is my point?)hmmmm... that train of thought just left the station....
Anyhow- I have been trying to educate myself about the livestock so that I can be a better steward instead of just winging it- like I did in the past.  (remember- no Future Farmers of America training here)   I have learned more about proper pasture management (more on that later) and more about doctoring and maintenance of the animals.  (More on that later too!)
So - to finish- here is a sheep joke for you:
  Farmer #1 'Why didn't the ewe get pregnant?'
  Farmer #2 'She was under the wether!'  
Get it?   If you're a real farmer you can explain the joke here - on this very blog!  Let's hear it!

Foraging Part 2

A few years back my friend Dan invited me to go mushroom picking near Taos, NM.   It was the perfect time- we hit the mountains under ideal conditions and returned with pounds of delicious King Boletes mushrooms.   So when he invited me to go 'shrooming again recently how could I decline?!

Dan gets off the beaten track

So in to the forest it was!
Now- you really shouldn't do this on your own.  Always go with an experienced fungologist.  (I don't actually know what a mushroom dude is called)
You don't want to put anything in your mouth that you're not sure of..(at least that's what grandma always said)  You can always have a taste tester along to try things out first but it's kind of a quick way to loose friends and it does limit your hiking companions to people foolishly willing to stick odd organic matter in their mouth.  So.... that said.... go with someone you trust to know what they're doing.

As it turns out- you either hit the mushrooms exactly right or you don't- and ....
We Didn't.                                                                                                                                                                            We looked at a lot of other Boletes wanna-be type fungus

but in the end came home empty handed.

That's not 100% true.  We did each eat a handful of delicious wild raspberries (grown at over 9000' elevation)

Still- I don't know how our ancestors did it.. I would've come home with an empty stomach....
I don't think I passed 'Foraging 101'!  

But what's to complain about hiking in the mountains of Northern NM with a buddy?  We had a great picnic (after we worked up an appetite imagining all the things we'd be cooking with the mushrooms we didn't find!)

Plums plums plums

Well- I think it's valid to say that  part of feeding yourself locally is that its going to have to include some foraging.   It's kind of fun hopping fences but don't take that to mean that you shouldn't ask permission when possible.  But hey- I say waste not want not- and I hate to pass up a fruit tree full of fruit that the rest of the world is ignoring.   Long story short- I hopped the fence at a seemingly abandoned property-(well- there is a realtor's sign up- so does that count?) 
The apple trees I found were pretty poor.  No water for ages, fruit full of bugs.  The decent looking ones I took a bite of but they had no flavor.   No love lost here on these neglected trees.  (One thing you can't do in NM is leave trees or non-native plants to fend for themselves for water- the desert is just waiting to take over again.)  I picked a few apples and pears but the prize was a lovely plum tree covered with succulent, ruby colored fruit.  I stuffed my face and filled my basket and hopped the fence to get back home.  (I could've just walked out the front gate but fence jumpin' is so much better.  Nothing like getting your pants hung up on a barbed wire fence for a good story. 'How'd your pants get ripped?' 'Oh. Just hoppin' a fence'. )

We've enjoyed eating a lot of the fresh fruit but I also covered a hot grill with plums to roast.  I brushed them with honey and some black pepper.  They're in my freezer now waiting for a lamb roast to accompany.   I read a good recipe for plum, ginger chutney. (shout out to 'Nice Buns'  Thanks!)   Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas?!
If I go picking again I'll be making plum jam next.   I'm not the most successful at jam making though.  I need a pectin-injectin' I guess!

Bernalillo Wine Festival

Monday September 6th.  Labor Day
Here's what I'm talking about! Lets go local.  (or loco- whatever the case may be...!)
The Bernalillo Wine Festival is an annual event in Bernalillo, NM.  This community just north of Albuquerque on the east side of the Rio Grande (for those of you who aren't 'in the know'!) showcases local vintners who are breaking their backs to coax quality wine out of the Land of Enchantment.   This past weekend the Festival featured tastings from over 20 vineyards situated in all corners of the state of NM.  There is actually a 400 year history of wine making in the Rio Grande Valley.    Who knew?!
  I hit the festival with my mom and dad (nothing quite like drinking wine and using a walker! -my dad gets kind of tired so we had this cool, rolling walker with a seat so he could take a break...But I digress...!)
Anyhow - we sampled delicious vintages from nearly every maker- and most made from entirely estate grown, New Mexico grapes.
We tasted quite a few Cabernets (is it 'swish, swallow' or 'swish, spit'? I don't know how you really are supposed to taste wine.) but my dad and I gave 3 stars to a Tempranillo from Casa Abril Vineyard in Algodones, NM.   I'm so impressed with the dedication of all these producers. 

Several regional food products where on display as well including booths from NM Pecan Company. (Did you know NM out produced Georgia in Pecans this year?  Represent!)

Yummy, freshly shelled pecans from NM Pecan Co

Locally produced goat cheese, Lavender, fresh fruit and Garlic were also available to purchase.
I would have liked to see more regionally grown, prepared food to purchase for lunch- my only complaint- but hey- this isn't a review- is it?

Coon Ridge produces fantastic cheese made from the milk of open-range grazed goats.

All said- the sun was shining, there was no work on a Monday, people were sipping and swishing their wine samples and spitting on the lawn.  Women in big hats, men in stylish loafers- what's not to like?! 

New Mexico is getting so sophisticated!