Katelyn and John Visit, April 20-23

Katelyn and John came for the weekend and were a great help! They drove from New Jersey, arriving Friday afternoon in Michigan. This trip was made to help around the farm with wedding preparations and met with Matt Stoll, the minister that will be presiding over their wedding ceremony. I attended a hard cheese making class on Saturday. While I was in Kalamazoo, Katelyn and Lindsey found fabric and a designer for the bridesmaids dresses. Yeah! Bob and John started cleaning out the storage area under the north overhang of the barn for the chicks in anticipation of their arrival on Monday. After church on Sunday Katelyn, John, and Bob rototilled both gardens and started planting potatoes. While I was shopping at Meijer the post office called, the chicks had arrived. So, the work in the garden came to a screeching halt and the chick area preparation swung into action. I picked up the chicks at the postal annex in Kentwood and everyone else completed the chick area, hung a heat lamp and thermometer, filled the waterer, and made a cardboard ring enclosure. The ring is approximately 6 feet across and can be adjusted as the chicks grow. When the chicks first come the temperature inside the ring needs to be in-between 85 and 90 degrees. Bob has the heat lamp hanging from a hook with a chain that can be adjusted up or down depending on the need for more or less heat. Very scientific. The chicks all looked healthy upon their arrival. Katelyn and I dipped their beaks in water teaching them how to drink and showed them the grain feeders. A great BBQ pork rib dinner was enjoyed on Sunday night. BBQed ribs are one of Katelyn's favorite things so we try to have them each tome she comes. The recipe is really easy, one of those that works every time. Just remove the connective tissue along the bone side of the ribs and place in the oven on a rack bone side down at 300 degrees for 2 hours. Cover with foil. You can rub the meat with a dry rub before putting it in the oven. I usually just sprinkle the ribs with lemon pepper. At the two hour mark uncover the ribs and smother them with BBQ sauce. Place the ribs back in the oven for another 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the size of your cut, uncovered. Cook until the meat falls from the bone. Remove the ribs from the oven and allow them to rest before serving. Monday Katelyn and John met with the minister. This was the first of several sessions. Future sessions will be done on line. They left early Tuesday morning. It never gets easier watching them leave. Katelyn will be back in May, a small consolation. Carmen