Bounty Hunting is Easy-Peasy in Ohio!

Coming across roadside stands, farmers markets, and veggie/fruit markets as we travel remind me that we are fortunate to live in a bountiful region. 

Bounty Hunters have an easy job here in Ohio. With cheese factories, local dairies, fruit orchards, vineyards, melon patches, berry farms, beeyards for honey, sugar bushes for Maple syrup, small farms that offer Community Supported Agriculture Shares (CSAS), large farms producing wheat, soybeans, corn, barley and other "field crops" including the specialty spelt, Ohioans are pretty lucky in the scheme of things.

November is the month we've set aside to give thanks...the end of the year when the harvest is in. June (and every month, for that matter) is also a good time for Thanksgiving. And in Ohio, we do (and in joyous ways)! 

Proof is the many festivals held almost weekly celebrating some aspect of farming: Tomatoes, Melons, Pumpkins, Popcorn, Bratwurst, Blueberry, Maple Syrup...these are just a few festivals that I can think of off hand.

Yep. We like to eat. And we dine very well :)

Marcheta *what's for lunch? 

Mama Sparrow is Surprised

Yesterday when I was taking care of porch plants, I got a big surprise when I watered this hanging basket.

But not as big of surprise as a sparrow that was sitting on these eggs.

When the little brown bird flew out of the plants as soon as the water hit, I was startled, for sure.

I can only imagine what the bird was thinking when, while silently minding her own business of sitting on her little eggs, and then......

Without warning

and unprovoked,

she gets drenched with cold water.

Poor little thing. I felt horrible for dousing her, but had no idea that I had done further insult until I took the plant off the hanger, parted the geranium leaves and peered inside. 

I found two little eggs drowning in water. :(

I drained the nest the best that I could, covered it back up with the geranium leaves, and hoped for the best. I sat on the porch for a while to if Mama would come back.

She did.

So did Papa.

All is well.

Thank goodness!!! 

We find bird nests in the most interesting places here. The most aggravating are Killdeer, who lay eggs in the gravel, right in the middle of the lane. Many years our lanes sports a cement block that has to be driven around to protect those baby killdeer. 

Geesch!

My conclusion, Sparrows are wiser than Killdeer when it comes to nesting!

Marcheta *bird brained

Favorite Things: Comfort Food ~ Home made Mac and Cheese Casserole

Grilling season is upon us, soon we won't want the extra heat that an oven meal creates. Now is a good time for one last fling with the King of all Comfort Foods: Macaroni and Cheese Casserole.

But, wait, you are probably saying. We can still have mac and cheese from a box and just mix it up on the stove top, can't we,  because, really, who does not like Mac and Cheese?

How could it ever go wrong? Well, did you know that there is a huge controversy over Kraft adding artificial colors to it's mac and cheese products that are banned in other countries? For those consumers, Kraft used the spice turmeric to boost the color, yet continues to use petroleum based dyes for the American consumers.  The ill affects of these dyes on children's health was addressed in a Dr. Oz episode.

Never underestimate the power of moms! It is mom bloggers (included in the Dr. Oz link) who have started a campaign to educate the public and to hold Kraft accountable.

My question is;  if food is real, why do you need to add fake stuff to make it look more appetizing?

 

Noel to the Rescue!

Today Noel shares a favorite recipe for macaroni and cheese casserole from her grandmother. To me, recipes that are handed down through the generations become living history, keeping tastes and traditions upfront and personal. And...most importantly, it is real food made with real ingredients.

Ok, enough about that...by making Noel's homemade mac and cheese, we know what we are eating!

Marcheta *stepping off her soapbox now....

P.S. if you don't like smokie links, or want a vegetarian meal, simply omit the sausages.


"Like most of Grandma's recipes, this one is easy and doesn't require much effort! I have to say, it's a crowd pleaser just the same." Noel Lizotte

 

 

Macaroni Casserole

Cook: ½ lb macaroni
Add:
¼ cup parsley
½ lb sharp cheese cut into cubes
1 package smokie links cut into ½ inch cubes
white cream sauce





Pour into casserole dish
Sprinkle top with buttered bread crumbs
 Bake at 400 F 20 – 30 min or until heated through.

White Cream Sauce

4 TB butter
4 TB all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 cup milk



Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, add dash white pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook quickly, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles.




Approximate Nutrition Info: Servings Per Recipe: 10, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 340, Total Fat: 22g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 640mg, Total Carbs: 21g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 14g.






To download a PDF formatted copy of this recipe to your computer, or for printing, click here.

Theif in the Night

Do you see a humming bird feeder in this crabapple tree?

No?







Neither do I.

Sunday morning, when Ava and I were having breakfast, we saw a lovely little Goldfinch at the finch feeder. I was looking at the feeder area trying to figure out what was "wrong" with the picture when Ava said that she saw a hummingbird in the front yard earlier. 

Then it clicked. Where was the humming bird feeder? 

When I put the feeder in the tree a few days earlier, I made sure that it was installed good and tight because I did not want it to be tossed about in the wind. Apparently, my method did not secure the feeder against nocturnal masked bandits, aka raccoons.      

I wonder if this heist was carried off by a lone bandit, maybe a mother looking for a quick snack for its kits, or if it were a more elaborate scheme. Either way, I am out a feeder. You can bet your bottom dollar that when I go shopping for a new one, I'll look for one that I can practically weld to the tree :)

Raccoons are a real problem for us. The sneaky pests can strip a peach tree in a single night, usually just before the peaches are ready to pick. They also like to nosh in our pear trees.  And let's not even talk about what they do to a corn patch! And now stealing bird feeders? Really? 

It's too much and I am out for revenge. So be warned,  Masked Invaders, I'm on to you. 

Marcheta *putting on her detective hat

Liberty Remembers

We have set aside today to remember and honor our service people. 

Galion, like many towns across our nation, has a traditional parade. Most years, the parade follows this formula: led by a Color Honor Guard comprised of Veterans, followed (not necessarily in this order) by the Galion High School Marching Band, Eaglettes Baton Corps, maybe a few Scout Troupes, city vehicles like police cars and a fire truck. A Person of Honor rides in a fancy car. The parade route is short, leading through town, then along Fairview Avenue to Fairview Cemetery. 

The service at the cemetery usually goes something like this:

At the canon in the cemetery, people gather to hear a speech about our heroes. A wreath is laid. A prayer is said. A lone bugler plays Taps. 

The service ends with a 21 gun salute.

It is traditions like this that help bind a community together. 

And it is art like this that really brings the Cost of Freedom home. The strong visual effect lays indelible mark on people's hearts who are lucky enough to see this massive mural in person. 

Notice the texture behind the main images: those are the faces of service men from Crawford County. It is an amazing work of art and an amazing achievement, that is for sure.

This is a small part of the Liberty Remembers mural. It is one of several murals in our county seat of Bucyrus, Ohio. The murals were  designed and painted by Eric Grohe. You can read about the mural here.

From the website: 

In this mural, Lady Liberty cradles a dying  

soldier in her arms, surrounded by the portraits of 284 veterans

 from Crawford County, Ohio.

The mural was almost completed when the tragedy of 9/11 

occurred. Eric composed the phrase “Her torch still shines, our 

flag still waves,” which he added to the interior arch as a

 memorial to this event. A book was later published featuring all

the veteran submissions for the mural.

I cannot think of a more touching memorial to our Veterans than this wonderful work of art.

Marcheta *remembers

Creation Sunday

 

Some Sundays are a good time to kick back and relax and be creative. This Sunday is one of those for us.

To start this day on a lazy note before we get busy, I dug out old greeting cards and set up a work station for Ava in my sewing room. 

For a generation now, it seems to me that children's time is over scheduled and I think it is sad. We all need alone time with our thoughts and ideas, so after setting Ava up with a variety of supplies, I left her alone so that she could figure out what she wanted to make.

Ava decided to make a card for her mother using elements from a card her mother had sent to me. :)

This card, made from simple materials, is full of love and admiration and appreciation. I know that Kerry is going to treasure it.

After a T.V. break to watch The Pioneer Woman make a carrot cake and sloppy Joe's, Ava was back at her desk creating a laptop computer.

Outside of laptop computer, made
from heavy 12 x 12" scrapbook paper

Inside view of Ava's laptop
with screen on top and keyboard on bottom

Ava's other project today is helping Papa make her flower garden. Then they are going on a fishing expedition to our little nature pond; the one that has brand new fish in it.

We are able to enjoy this leisure time because of the Freedoms that were planned for us by America's Founding Fathers, and kept for us by the service people we honor tomorrow. For this, a simple day free of cares spent with family, I am thankful.

Marcheta *Hooray for Creative Kids!!!

Herb Vinegar Chapter 2: Basic Salad Dressing

Like making soups, stews, stir-fries, tossed salads, and the like, making salad dressing is a process. Making salad dressings at home is wonderful because you are in control of the ingredients and can adjust the flavors to your own liking. 

Here is an idea to get you started:

1/2 cup herb vinegar

1/2 cup granulated sugar (I use Florida Crystals  since most granulated sugar comes from GMO sugar beets and I am doing my best to avoid GMO food)

1 t salt (I use sea salt)

1 t Penzeys Forward (optional, if you don't have it, it is OK. You could use paprika instead if you have some on hand)

1 t dry mustard

I cup olive, vegetable, or canola oil

In a medium sized bowl, whisk all of the ingredients EXCEPT the oil to blend them. Then add the oil in a steady, thin stream, whisking all the while. I use the whisk on a hand-held mixer on low speed. You can  also use a food processor or blender, but why have an extra appliance to clean?

If you are not using the dressing immediately, transfer your salad dressing to a bottle or jar (with lids) and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before dressing tossed salads.

Naturally, you can tweak this recipe. Try adding spices, such as paprika, , garlic powder, lemon zest, celery seed....you get the idea. Usually  1/2 - 1 teaspoon of any is a good amount to try. You can always add more if you think it needs it, but it's not so easy to take away an overspill...LOL. :)

Here I must add that this is a very tart dressing. If you like sweeter dressing, add more sugar. I put most of the dressing I made today in an old-fashioned Good Seasonings mixer/server bottle that I found at my local Goodwill store. I put the rest of the dressing in a jelly jar. To this, I am going to add honey, and dig around in my spice cupboard to see what combos I can come up with. 

You can do it, too! Put on your "Mad  Glad Scientist" hat and create your own recipe! Who knows? You might just come up with an award-winning recipe for pasta or potato salad, all because of your unique dressing :)

Creativity. That's what I'm talkin' about!!

Marcheta *Kitchen "Glad"iator 

Making Herbal Vinegars

I became interested in herb gardens in the early 70's, shortly after I was married. I love the textures and aromas of fresh herbs. To me, having garden fresh herbs makes cooking an adventure. But you don't need a garden to have fresh herbs to cook with; many types of herbs are happy to grow in containers.

In the late 70's I read about making herb vinegar. Some years, if I am feeling ambitious, I make a few because, well....just because!

Herb vinegars are good for marinades and salad dressing, but mostly I like the way the bottles 'dress up' the kitchen. :)

Earlier this Spring I made half a gallon of chive vinegar. Making herb vinegar is super easy. All you need to do is to fill a glass container with the herbs you've selected and then cover them with vinegar. I use white vinegar, but rice vinegar or any other vinegar that does not have a strong taste on its own is good to use. Strong tasting vinegars, like apple vinegar, do not let the herbal flavors come through.

It takes a few weeks for the vinegar to draw out the herb's flavors, but you can let it go even longer. When the vinegar's flavor is at a strength that you like, strain the herbs out and place back in the glass container or, as most people do, transfer it to a pretty bottle.

A common practice in bottling the vinegar is to 'label' it the old-fashioned way by adding sprigs of the herbs in the bottle to identify the type of vinegar inside.

I waited until the chives bloomed to bottle the vinegar because I wanted to add chive blossoms to the bottle. I love chive blossoms because they look like clovers :)

Even though I had artfully arranged the chive stems with blossoms in the bottle, it was for naught when I added the vinegar because the blossoms all floated to the top. Still, it's kinda pretty, and the blossoms will give the vinegar a faint purply-pink color.

I re-used the same bottle that held Bill Bebee's mead. You can't see it in this pic, but the bottle has a pretty raised floral motif near the bend of the neck. I think it is a lovely bottle for herb vinegar as well as sweet honey wine (read blog post about Bill's mead here.) 



Tomorrow I'll give ideas for using herbal vinegars :)

Marcheta *got that "Chive Talking" thing going again...

Flight of the Honey Bees

There's a lot of buzz in the air created by the wings of honey bees as they form swarms and leave their homes (hives) that have become too crowded. This is good way for bee keepers to "hire" more workers for their honey factories. :)

I don't know a whole heck of a lot about honey bees, other than we've kept them before,  lost our entire operation to foulbrood disease, and now Jim wants to keep bees again.

It's been years since we kept bees, so Jim is listening to the advice from bee keepers Bill Bebee and Bob Nelson. Both men are local hive keepers and honey producers. Bill is a supplier of bee equipment and Bob is pretty handy at capturing swarms.

A few days ago, Bob and Sue took Jim and me on a tour of their property, which borders a creek, to show us their various bee yards and the bee traps that they have placed in trees to capture swarms that come barreling down the water way each Spring. 

I took a few pics of traps only because when we were at the Nelson's the bees had not found traps yet. It was a case of bad timing, because later that day weary renegade bees spotted the temporary homes placed in trees and decided that it was a good time to stop over to rest their tired little wings. Sort of like checking into bee hotels :)

Sue took these pics and emailed them to me. One of these swarms is destined to take up residence here on Nazor Rd, where plenty of fruit trees will welcome them with open arms...I mean, limbs :)

 

 I took a few minutes to look up bee swarms on the Internet, and like this article from Growing Small Farms by the North Carolina State University's Cooperative Extension because it has plenty of pictures that illustrate the steps in capturing swarms.

 

 

Marcheta *staying clear of this "sting" operation!

Picnic in the Park

Dateline: Galion, Ohio:

 Warm weather ousts the Winter that Would Not Leave; ushers in Picnic Season! 

 

I love picnics! In warm weather (even in not-so-warm-weather), I prefer to have lunch dates with friends at a picnic table. Parks are nice places to picnic, as are reservoirs, and nature preserves. Galion has a picnic area on Public Square that is a nice gathering place for outdoor meals, too.

So, what constitutes a picnic?

My earliest memories of picnics were during fishing trips to streams or reservoirs. The woman provided fried chicken (served cold), potato salad, cole slaw, and deviled eggs. Ripe cantaloupes were already peeled and sliced...a big juicy watermelon was kept cold in the stream or at water's edge. The meal was rounded out with potato chips and Kool-aid or bottles of pop. There might be a store-bought cake, too. Men had beer and maybe a nip or two from a whiskey flask.

By my teenage years the menu hadn't changed much except for taking hotdogs and hamburgers along to grill on public grill...BYOC (bring your own charcoal).

Our yearly family play-day at Cedar Point even included picnics. Feeding a carload of kids expensive park food was out of my parents' budget, so mom had the extra chore of preparing our food before the big day and poor dad had to lug the heavy coolers from the sizzling hot parking lot to the picnic area of the park. Our lunch-time break from the stimulation of going on rides and seeing shows was the welcome rest we needed. With huge appetites caused by running from ride to ride, sitting at the tables in the shaded picnic area tucked away from the long lines and other distractions, we shared our amusement park adventures while scarfing down the food.

These days some of my picnics are provided by The Colonel. Or a mission bell. Or a girl sporting red pig-tails and a wide grin. Why not? These picnics are usually spur-of-the-moment ideas when I am out and about and see a nice spot for dining al-fresco instead of inside a loud restaurant.

Mostly, my modern picnics are a hybrid blend of the two methods...part of the food is homemade, some of it from a deli or fast food place. It does not really matter.

What really matters is the atmosphere, the friendship, the freedom of being outdoors enjoying soft breezes, strong breezes, soft lulls of buzzing insects, strong energy traveling along the wind, birds giving a concert, squirrels providing the floor show...one never knows what will be encountered. And if the picnic ends by dashing to the car because of  a sudden downpour, the feeling of adventure makes it even more memorable.

The two pictures above are from a picnic shared by good friend, Alita. Now that she is retired, we try to meet up once a month to catch up on our families, our travels, and share our experiences of transitioning into a New Phase of Life.  We were at Aumiller park in Bucyrus, a lovely park with many picnic shelters, a Frisbee golf course, walking paths along the Sandusky River, a swimming pool, and, my most favorite feature, a carillon bell tower.

Our meal was the hybrid-type of picnic. The food was yummy, the table was pretty, the conversation was priceless. :)

How often do you picnic? What is your favorite picnic food? Your favorite picnic memory?

Marcheta *al-fresco

Asparagus and Rhubarb and Pie, Oh My!

 

 

Alita is back today as guest blogger, sharing two of her favorite spring recipes. One features asparagus, the other rhubarb.

 

If you are in the Bucyrus, Ohio, area, Bucyrus Lil' Farmers Market has had a vendor with rhubarb for the past two Saturdays. The market is located in front of Sears, near Walmart, and runs from 8:30 a.m. - noon.

 

Asparagus may be a bit harder to find, but today I did see that Fairview Orchards has a sign out advertising that they have asparagus available. They are located on the corner of Middletown and Fairview Rds, just north of Galion.

 

 

Thanks, Alita, for sharing these recipes. As soon as I hit the "publish" button I am heading out to our asparagus patch to see if I can wrangle up a mess to fix for dinner!

 

 

Marcheta *loving new menu ideas :)

 

 

 

 

A Few of My Favorite Spring Things 

by Alita Daiber Phillips

Spring is not complete for me until I’ve enjoyed a few of my favorite asparagus and rhubarb recipes.  These are especially satisfying when made with rhubarb and asparagus fresh from our little patches.  Today’s lunch featured one of these:  Creamed Eggs and Asparagus on Toasted English Muffins.  

The recipe I used is a variation on the Country Asparagus Pie recipe from one of my favorite vintage cookbooks:  Farm Journal’s Meal and Menu Planner Cookbook.  I’ve been cooking from it since the 1980’s.  In those days, we did eat differently than we do now.  I enjoy tweaking the old favorites to fit our new lifestyle -- smaller family; lighter diet. 

Today, I prepared a smaller amount of the pie filling and served it over toasted English muffin halves.  Here is the original recipe with my adjustments noted in italics:

Country Asparagus Pie

Baked 9” pie shell (I serve the creamed mixture over English muffin halves or light bread slices, toasted)

4 c. asparagus cut in 1” pieces (about 2 #)

3 tbsp.  butter or regular margarine (I use no-salt)

3 tbsp. flour (I use unbleached)

1 c. milk (I use no-fat)

1 chicken bouillon cube (I use 1 tsp. Wyler’s sodium-free instant bouillon)

1 tsp. instant minced onion

¾ tsp. salt (I omit)

1/8 tsp. pepper

4 hard-cooked eggs

1/3 c. grated Cheddar cheese (I sprinkle a little over each individual serving.)

·   Cook asparagus in boiling salted water until tender.  (I do not use salt.)  Drain thoroughly in sieve.

·   Melt butter in 2-qt. saucepan; blend in flour.  Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles and is thickened.   Add bouillon, onion, salt and pepper.  Stir until bouillon is dissolved.

·   Remove from heat and add asparagus.  Chop 3 eggs and add to creamed mixture. 

·   Turn into baked pie shell.  Sprinkle with grated cheese.  Bake in 350^o oven until cheese melts, about 7 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Cut remaining egg in 6 wedges; arrange on center of pie with points of one end together, petal fashion.  Serve at once.  Makes 6 servings. 

I hope we have enough rhubarb in our patch to make Rosy Spring Salad and Rhubarb Surprise Pie, both from Farm Journal’s Meal and Menu Planner Cookbook.   These use the “magic” of gelatin. 

Rosy Spring Salad

4 c. diced rhubarb

1 ½ c. water

½ c. sugar

2 (3-oz.) pkg. strawberry flavor gelatin (I use sugar-free)

1 c. orange juice

1 tsp. grated orange rind

1 c. sliced fresh strawberries

·   Combine rhubarb, water and sugar in saucepan.  Cook until tender, for about 4 to 5 minutes.  Pour over gelatin, stirring until dissolved.  Add orange juice and rind.  Cover and chill until thick and syrupy.

·   Fold in strawberries.  Pour into lightly oiled 6-c. mold; chill until set.  Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

I plan to try the Rhubarb Surprise Pie because it sounds like a good option for people who like strawberry rhubarb pie, but must avoid eating strawberry seeds.  I found a recipe just like the one in my cookbook at this link:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/rhubarb-surprise-pie/.  

Hopefully, the local farmer’s markets will have plenty of asparagus and rhubarb for those like me who cannot get enough of these delicious springtime favorites. 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Things :Vintage Cookbooks

Do vintage cookbooks catch your eye and spark images of yummy foods made by loving homemakers?

They sure do summon me for a second (or third or forth!) look.

But not as much as my friend Noel. Among her many talents and businesses is her passion for vintage cookbooks. I can easily see why. It is fun to browse the pages and read how food was prepared the 'modern way' in 1951, or '61, or well, whenever!

Noel loves vintage books so much that she started an online business via Etsy that specializes in selling vintage books, aptly named "Noel's Vintage Books".

I like the cookbooks from the 50's and 60's because they remind me of my growing-up years. I also like the graphics.

Back when printing books was a lot more expensive than it is today, many illustrations were line drawings limited to one or two colors. To make them more interesting, elements such as boomerang shapes were added.

Today I am sharing a post from Noel's blog, Apron Free Cooking. The cookbook featured is by Cutco, the largest manufacturer of kitchen cultery in the United States and Canada (as per their website).

Marcheta *canned fruit cocktail in Jello, topped with mayo....yes, please!

 

 

 

From Apron Free Cooking, Cutco Cookbook

Cutco Cookbook Front Cover

Many vintage cookbooks were developed as a marketing tactic. Before we had hour long infomercials and Internet advertising, marketers took many different approaches to getting their product in front of buyers.
Think about the door to door salesman. He walked many miles, knocked on many doors, all in an attempt to convince the housewife that his product deserved a place in her home. Sometimes he was successful. Sometimes he was not.
Businesses began to offer complimentary products as a way to entice purchase of their primary product. Remember your grandma or mom purchasing a specific brand of laundry soap in order to get the dish of the month? Who would consider dinnerware a complimentary product to laundry soap? Perhaps that’s why we don’t see offers like that anymore.
It makes much more sense to develop a cookbook of recipes that can be used along with your new appliance or kitchen tool. I still see new cookbooks for sale that feature a specific brand of food or kitchen utensil. Cutco was one company who printed a cookbook to encourage cooks to purchase their cutlery.

1961 Cutco Cook Book Worlds Best Cutlery

Cutco Cookbook Front Cover

Vintage CookBook
Copyright: 1961Publisher: Cutco DivisionHardcover, 128 pagesCondition: very good, printed cover, no dust jacket, no marks, no tears, binding tightAuthor: Margaret MitchellPrice: 10.00

Cutco Copyright

Synopsis: A complete education in meat and poultry cooking. This book is illustrated with butchers diagrams labeled with the names of meat cuts. There are instructions on the care and sharpening of your knives. There are recipes for all sorts of meat based dishes.

Cutco Inside Cover

“Variety is important. If the family sits down to the table, takes one look and says, “I’m not hungry.” The reason is almost always a lack of appetite appeal either in the food itself or in its preparation.”
Menu suggestions are included, to help the cook determine appetizers, side dishes and dessert that best compliment the type of meat being served.

Cutco Recipe

This copy is in excellent condition. You would hardly know that the book has been used.

Cutco Back Cover

See more Vintage Cookbooks at the ApronFreeCooking store on Etsy. I have added lots of the treasures I find on my book scouting adventures to the list over there. My bookshelves can’t hold all the great cookbooks I find!
What is your favorite brand of kitchen knife?

PS: Don’t forget to sign up to receive Apron Free Cooking updates using the buttons in the upper right margin!

Fishy Business, Part 2 "The Bucket List"

Here is the "rest of the story" about pond fish pick-up day. It is a story about Man v. Nature, or Man Helping Nature...there are always two sides to every story, eh?

 

Side 1: In our opinion, green algae is the scum of the earth (er...pond...), going against our intent to provide a pond for nature and our own enjoyment. Scum seems to be the 'natural state' of many small ponds, but humans who 'own' the ponds do not like it, and thus muster up a battalion of soldiers (fish) to annihilate the microbes.

 

Side 2: Because scum interferes with the health of a pond, Man, in his infinite wisdom, helps nature along by bringing in fish bred in captivity to bring a wholesome balance to the eco-system.

 

I don't know about you, but I vote for side # 2!!!

 

Marcheta *casting her vote to real 'em in!

 

 

 

With the truck loaded with plastic bag lined buckets, Jim and I headed over to Bucyrus to the Crawford Soil and Water Conservation District office to pick up our pond fish.

 

We were lucky because there was only one person in line when we arrived, and he was almost done getting his order. People began arriving fast, and by the time we were loaded, there were nine vehicles in line waiting.

 

The first order of business was to give our "bucket list" to the woman in charge of filling orders. The fish came from a pond fish hatchery, and were loaded on the back of a pick-up truck. Thank goodness, it was not raining!

 

The man on the truck handed the fish to one of the women, who transferred the fish into one of our buckets, filled with our own pond water. The second woman then filled the bag with air and tied it shut. This is the reason the buckets needed to be lined with plastic bags...it helps kept the fish in the water on the quick drive home.

 

 

Our bucket list included two White Amur (to eat excessive foliage), 50 Redear Sunfish,  and 100 Largemouth Bass. The pic below is of the White Amur.

We were instructed to go straight home and get the fish in the pond ASAP. The following pics show the process. We are hoping that our fish like their new home, get along with the bullfrogs, and have many feast days provided by the green scum that is messing up our pond.