The 305 Back Yard Farm

09/04/2024

Today I had to release the lids of the spruce in sugar to off gas. That means i captured a lot of good wild yeast!

09/03/2024

I wasn't looking for a job. But then I was approached with what seemed like a made for me opportunity to help a local h**p company scale up. They specifically needed a food scientist or biochemist, and turns out there aren't many in our area. I wasn't interested in working full-time as I LOVE the 305 byf and the amount of time I get to spend foraging, so we agreed to an efficient part time schedule that would allow me to do both.
So I will still have my shop open some mornings and afternoons. And eventually will do more shipping.
I'm beyond excited to help the Meskwaki h**p program become successful as they scale up using thier own h**p, converting it to amazing h**p oil products. That product line will be launched in the near future to the public.
My part is overseeing the production and final product. Making sure the production is compliant as well as the final product. Down the line I will help with R&D of new products.
So this is a dream for me! All those h**p specific papers I wrote in college had a purpose! The time I toured Bud and Mary's production facility my mouth watered at working with cannabis, but wasn't interested in applying for a full-time industry position.
So this is a dream come true. I will one day train my replacement and go on an extended journey into the wilderness, but for the next few years I can help my neighbors achieve thier pretty awesome and meaningful goals.

09/02/2024

You all tired of my food pics yet? 😆
Made a red cabbage, pear, sweet onion salad as food prep for the upcoming week. Put the coconut caramel, lime and kosher salt on it and gave it a good massage. Got several containers fermenting but eating on it fresh too for supper.

09/02/2024

How cool are these radish colors!? Fun little pickled mix.
Tarragon Bay Pickled Veggies.
16oz $9.25 again, these are fore sale in my shop or I can drop off at my convenience.
I'm in no rush or desperation to sell my goods. I gotta eat too and love what I make so don't always want to sell it all. But I'll come off a few I reckon...

09/02/2024

Today's harvest. Tomatoes, oats, peach branches for smoking, acorn, butternut and honeynut squash,onions, lavender, basil, marigolds, flint corn, cucumbers, radish, tomatillo and peppers.
I go pick about every other day, then try to get it processed within 35 hours so I can make room for the next batch.
On top of harvesting and tending to my own plots and gardens (at this point in the season mowing and some slight weeding is all I can commit to) I get to go harvest or am being donated others harvests too! (Which I LOVE)
THAT being said I won't do much custom canning this year or canning on half. I'm starting a new job where I will work 25 hours a week, and it's working on a project I'm super excited about so want to dedicate quality time to it.
I will tell you more after my first day tommorow 😁

09/01/2024

Hibiscus Vanilla Pear Syrup😋🍐
This was a fun one to make. I made a strong tea of hibiscus and some lemongrass, juiced the pears and added some pulp back, and of course the vanilla bean infusing into maple syrup over 1 year is delightful! I plan on using this to upcycle some angel food cake, or add to my morning yogurt parfaits.

09/01/2024

Me- I don't have enough product for a pop-up yet.
My shelves say otherwise. I counted over 350 things I've made that are in bottles ready for sale. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I always delay because I think things could be be labeled better (they can ALWAYS be labeled better) or the shop isn't ready and the website isn't up yet ...all the exscuses. BUT none the less the shelves are filling up. So I will get to working on a pop-up sale, in the meantime feel free to pop in.

09/01/2024

Worked like a mad scientist to get this food processed today. Tommorow I'd REALLLLY like to pop a line in off the yak. Anyone done 3 bridges to McCoy lately? My fishin' buddies should know if there's a good channel to float yet...?

Warm Sumac Plum Butter.. plums,, maple syrup, sumac berries, ginger, and warm ground mulling spices. My buddy Ben's maple syrup is the only sweetener. It's rich and delicious and makes me want some baked brie to eat with it.
Spicy Thai Tomato Soup- Tomatoes, pho broth made from my garden veg, mixed hot and sweet peppers, loads of thai and sweet basil.. All from my seed grown by me 💚 (my only flex 😅)
I will have these for sale at my next pop-up or when you pop-in.

08/31/2024

I am thankful for the Marshalltown Farmers Market Cartwright Downtown Farmer's Market I was able to grab some various peppers to finish a fermenting project as I didn't have enough of my own yet.
The 2 gallon crock has cucumbers, cabbage, onion, green salsa pepper and jalapeno peppers fermenting like saurkraut but I don't know what it's called. (I mash each layer with salt, cover with a plate then a bag of water to weigh it down, followed by a towel and additional plate. I have MANY different fermenting vessels this is just how I do the crock with what I have on hand. )
Then the airlock container that'll be hot sauce I mash each layer of peppers, garlic and onions with salt, then add a bit of brine to start, cover with another heavy glass dish to weigh down (yes I have glass weights but they're already being used and this works too)

08/31/2024

Today's harvest.
I was remarking about how suppliers experiance fall very differently than consumers here in Iowa. Both are so nessesary. When you are tending to, collecting, and processing food daily for 8+ weeks during harvest you have little time to think about much else, but I think it's worth it.

08/30/2024

Took me 4 hours of work before I could officially start my 'day off' 😆
Thai tomato soup ( used my frozen pho broth, loads of Thai basil, peppers, onions and San marzanos.)
Honey garlic pickles. Then got the rest of the lotus root lacto-fermenting.

08/28/2024

I'm plum tired 😅
5 spice plum hot sauce 4 oz (6) $8.88
Jalapeno plum jam 4 oz (6) $6.06
Jalapeno plum jam 8 oz (3) $8.88
These are going to be available for pick-up and in house sale. Won't make a special trip to deliver the lower priced goods, but will drop off at my convenience 💚
I'd label the jams as MEDIUM. The hot sauce is HOT (I added some habenero as well) but also sweet (my signature smoky sweet heat you love).

08/28/2024

60% of the clothing and shoes I own, came second hand from my 1st ex mother in law. She's a dang gem who continues to upgrade me when she has a cleaning spell. I HATE wearing shoes. BUT am required to when I'm making food in the kitchen...(some rules aren't so bad right?) So these barefoot Merrell's she gifted me are a win-win! Free and as close as I can get to covered feet while being barefoot in the kitchen...💚

08/28/2024

Customers! Here's how to find me.
You can pull into my drive behind the jeep. You can either- Go inside the first porch door and knock on my house door.
Or
Walk past the jeep to back of driveway to my workshop entrance. There is a doorbell.
305 Anna St.

08/28/2024

So I add enough fresh squeezed lime to my jams to draw out that plum flavor so it doesn't get lost in the sugar that sets it. Thus it's a bit thinner (citrus breaks down pectin) but spreadable and OH SO TASTY! think all natural sour patch kids jam 🥰 stop by if you need some, or add a jar to your elderberry order for delivery.

08/28/2024

I have the best friends and customers! I came home with more than I delivered! Thank you so much Christy Bailey for the amber glassware. I plan to fill a few bottles with glycerite's and give some back to you. And oh my goodness these peppers from Amber Devick look mouthwatering. I cannot wait to get them fermenting for hot sauce! Thank you so much for your gifts 🫶

08/27/2024

Flowers for the gardens I started from seed 💚 cockscomb, nasturtium, sweet alyssum, Mexican marigold (mace) and then okra.

08/27/2024

I have (sold-out, hope to restock next month) 12oz $22.
And (6) 4 oz $12
I can deliver these (reasonable distance) or reserve for pick-up after purchase.
Square including easy pay link posted or venmo in the pics. Cash is great.
Comment with the size then pay 💚
https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLDQBFRRMK6TK/checkout/4H3BQUCLXFJGQEIGQ7LET7C7

08/26/2024

This water buffalo on the loose got me thinking about the one we bought off dreesmans that time. Paid less per lb bc it was water buffalo and not bison. Used to do bison tenderloin for Thanksgiving. Back then was 20$lb and most bison tenderloins about 3 lbs. So was a very expensive delicacy. Wonder what bison tenderloin goes for these days?

08/26/2024

Got my Elderberry Aronia Tonic bottled. Will have them ready to sell after labeling.
My syrup ingredient list- aronia berries, elderberries, raw honey, star anise, cinnamon, clove, ginger root, my holy basil glycerite, lime.
If you know you know. This is liquid gold! Will be selling the 12 oz sealed shelf stable bottles for 22$. Refrigerate after opening.

08/26/2024

I filled my bubbler a but too full of plum wine mash initially. Yesterday I had to let it bubble up and out, so I put a pot under the bubbler to catch the run off. Today when she had calmed down I carefully went in and got a bunch of mash off the top to give it more room to ferment. I used that mash to start some plum vinegar. Do what you can with what you have 💚

08/26/2024

A nice morning foraging. Elderberries and asiatic dayflower both for syrup. Then spotted some obedience plant 💚

08/25/2024

Today was my turn to cook. I wasn't interested in doing so, so grabbed a can of Amy's soup and box of Dolly's jalapeno cornbread n whipped up a quick lunch. I added ricotta, rosemary, almond milk and shisito pepper to the cornbread mix and slices of smoked gouda and thyme (what I had on hand)
And added cucumber, tomato, onion, carrots and herbs from garden along with leftover pasta to the can of lentil soup.
Serves 4. Cost 5$

08/25/2024

Having a partner makes life so much easier. Figured the off grid plot at D&D's would need a drink before extreme heat. I would go down to the creek, fill up buckets and haul them up to the bigger bucket (tote). Travis would then fill the watering can out of it and go water each plant. (he's got a broken foot so has to be careful) I then got a chance for a break in the hammock to rest the back. Teamwork does make the dream work 😁
As I head to work part time as a scientist (more coming) he will ramp up the 305 BYF efforts. Nobody in this world loves, tends and stewards what I love more than he. He's even going to get servsafe certified just to work in my kitchen. Winning.

08/25/2024

My kids were asking about how catnip effects cats, and what the 'cat p*e' smell is, in some foods...here ya go kids!

Found on Google from americanscientist.org

08/23/2024

New use for old non matching socks? 🤣
ACV in the makin'...

08/23/2024

Work views....😍
Today I harvested a bit of : dried red beans, cucumbers, long beans, 3 types basil, 4 types tomatoes, 3 types peppers, flint corn, table queen squash, acorn squash, broccoli, dock seed, marigolds for offrenda strands and some for bouquets, potatoes, onions, Asian pear, sweet potato vine and golden raspberries.