We tend to eat according to the season and the food that is available at the time. Spring is here now, and our meals lately have included a lot of milk and duck eggs. What have you been cooking, with ingredients either grown or foraged on your place? Here is a sampling of some our recent meals to get started. Cream of nettle soup- made with stinging nettles, goat milk, and onions. Tuna noodles- made with homemade noodles(with duck eggs) and milk,onions, garlic,storebought tuna Pancakes- made with eggs and milk, sourdough starter Chicken and dumpling soup, made with a chicken from the neighbor,carrots,onions,and garlic from here. Omelets and quiches- eggs,milk,onions,chives Tapioca pudding, with eggs and goat's milk and colostrum We should be making yogurt and goat cheese by now but we haven't yet this spring.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transport.com), April 28, 2000

Answers

Yummy! Makes you wonder what the rich folks are eating! Of course we know we are the rich folk! Those of us who can provide our healthy delicious food!!! The first greens of the garden are in. We've been enjoying lots of fresh mustard, kale, swiss chard, spinach etc. Picked our first radishes and had with yesterdays salad. This is such a joyful time of year! Lots of eggs too! ENJOY! Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), April 29, 2000.

NOT FAIR!!! Shame on you bragging, when some of us northern folk are sparingly munching on the beginnings of chives. I noticed this morning that the mustard is just sprouted. The rhubarb is up but not big enough to use. The dafodils are in full, glorious bloom.There's hope yet! Getting desperate here...

-- Peg (NW WI) (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), April 29, 2000.

We are plagued with stinging nettle, how do you pick the stuff, or clean it? Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 29, 2000.

Pick stinging nettle with long sleeves and heavy gloves. You only want the tender new leaves for cooking -- cook and serve as for any green. I think some people use two waters, but for fresh spring leaves that shouldn't be necessary. Nettles are actually a very useful plant -- juice from them can be used in place of rennet for cheese-making, I think they can be used as a dye plant, and they can be used like flax as a fiber plant. I wouldn't mind having a FEW here!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), April 29, 2000.

FREE NEETLES to antone who wants them ! I'm sorry after getting bit umpteen million times I hate them .Wouldn't care if I ever seen one again !As far as spring and summer meals its on the grill to fall.Not much cleaning to do that way .Chicken caesar salads ,steak and grilled veggies ,pok chops , ribs you name it .And I can almost taste the corn on the cob .Boy I'm hungry.

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 29, 2000.

Exactly Patty, just how would they taste with Round-up on them :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 30, 2000.

The only way I can stand to pick nettles is with leather gloves on- they will sting right through the cloth ones.I am really careful to pick very clean, so that they don't have to be washed. If you put them in a plastic bag, or right into the pot while picking, you don't get stung again. Then just steam them gently,so they are bright green but tender. Nettles are extremely nutritious, high in iron. By picking them faithfully,you can still be eating the tips in the summer.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transport.com), April 30, 2000.

Sorry folks it seems my last post had lots of spelling errors .Just goes to show what migraine meds can do .Rebekah you can come pick at my place anytime !

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 30, 2000.

Asparagus, mint, sorrel, onions, spinach. Today, I saw some poke just starting, eggs, we butchered chickens Sat. Here's a good sandwich. Whole wheat bread with a touch of mayo, mozarella cheese slice thin, homecanned jalapeno slices, couple sorrell leaves, handful of spinach sprouts and a green onion, sliced.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.comcc), May 01, 2000.

Another comment on nettles -- I've been going through our huge stack of old TMEN, ripping out articles to save so I can burn the mags, and found an article on nettles that said they could be hung up to dry (or maybe on drying racks like you would need to use for comfrey?) and used for hay. Said livestock like them and they are very nutritious. I guess drying gets rid of the sting -- though some critters will eat them fresh too. So for those of you with an over- supply, here's another good use for them!! :-)

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), May 01, 2000.