Astra & Brisa go face first into the feed bag whenever they get the chance.  Brisa has had a sudden growth spurt this week, and no longer looks like the runt-- she's caught up with Astra (whom she has her "arm" around). Read Full Story

Health insurance is a pet peeve of mine.  The so-called "free market" allows insurance companies to decline me as an individual (thanks, GOP), while federal regulation prevents the creation of groups outside an employment relationship (thanks, Dems).  In short, neither party has had my best interests at heart.I've been skeptically optimistic as the Obama administration moves its health care agenda through Congress: optimistic because Obama has the momentum and political capital to g... Read Full Story

We have a new "Flea & Farmer's Market" in Parowan, just eight miles from us.  It's too early yet for local growers (our growing season just started three weeks ago), so at present it's more of a flea market.  One vendor was selling essential oils, the rest had a collection of used goods for sale.  But one of the vendors says she's growing vegetables that will be ready in a couple of weeks.  This will also be our first venue for selling our goat cheese once it has aged ... Read Full Story

(NorthDevonFarmer photo.)The current issue of CreamLIne (No. 37-38) has an anecdotal survey of how artisan cheesemakers have been affected by the recession.  It may surprise you to learn that for many, business is good!  Here's a sampling of the responses: "No negative impact...  cheese sales at record levels... will contnue to operate at 100% capacity" "Sales are down 6% and feed costs are up 25%..." "We have only increased in sales [over prior periods]..." "I am now $700 ove... Read Full Story

Henna, now 6-1/2 months old, is almost as tall as Suellen! Read Full Story

A new produce stand opened in Cedar City for the summer.  Intended as an outlet for Utah produce, already they're selling cantalope and watermelon from Leeds, just south of us, and cherries from Payson to the north.  Of course, to fill their shelves this early in the season, they also have corn from Fresno, California, apples from Washington, and pineapples from who-knows-where.  They're not doing this on principle, they're doing it to make a profit.  Still, it's... Read Full Story

Sharif Abdullah is one of the members of the team I worked with in Sri Lanka.  His insightfulness and clarity of thought often astounded me.  He writes, Over the years, I have learned a lot from my international work, in Sri Lanka, in Cuba, in Argentina, in Russia, in Venezuela, in many other places in the world.  I have understood what makes societies work, and I’ve learned when and how they fail.   I've learned what it means to be alive in the beginning of the 21st... Read Full Story

This is an eight-gallon batch of Brie and Bucheron-- the main difference is the shape of the mold.We set up our cheese room primarily for hard cheeses-- cheddar, gouda, and the like.  These get pressed and then go to the cheese cellar for aging, requiring relatively little space in the processing room.  Now our informal market research is suggesting that people want semi-soft cheeses: whites like Brie and Bucheron, and blues, and perhaps a combination like Cambozola.  These tak... Read Full Story

(Booking photo.)Iron County drastically increased its arrests in the past 48 hours, apparently in a sweep of folks who haven't kept up with their payments to the court.  Of the 18 people arrested, 17 were arrested in a 25-hour period, and 14 of those were for unpaid fines.  Two others were arrested for DUI and public intoxication, one was for theft, and the last was for passing a bad check.Of the fourteen arrests for unpaid fines, I'm personally familia... Read Full Story

Yet well I ken the banks where Amaranths blow, Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow. Bloom, O ye Amaranths! bloom for whom ye may, For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away! --Samual Taylot Coleridge We're growing Hopi Red Dye Amaranth this year. It seemed an appropriate choice, since pigweed (also an amaranth) grows untended. So far, so good: the amaranth's red stocks are yet small, but healthy. As the name suggests, the bright red foliage was once used for making dye.... Read Full Story