Author Archives: Katie Nix

The bees are coming

Posted on by under Bees

To tell you the truth, it doesn’t seem real that we have bees coming this Saturday. We just got done with maple syrup season. The chickens are happy in their respective pastures and so fun to watch as they waddle run toward us. Now for the bees. It feels like another new adventure. Silas has been helping paint the homemade hive today. Mathew is a hero for making it himself. Over the winter we had a lot of help from some great friends cutting boards and such. Mat will be collecting the creatures and some equipment in Hackensack. Then he and his dad will place them in their new home. Mat set up the site pne evening by leveling off some ground, clearing extra debris, and setting up a solar powered electric fence. Even though the sting sends us running, the bears are a bit more determined to get their paws on the contents of the hive. We have the pollen patties made and ready. The flowers on the maples just blossomed and more buds pop every day. It seems a weighty thing to take on this new challenge, but Mat has been given such talent in learning, problem solving, initiating working ideas, etc, that I am not anxious. He recently told me how to get the queen out of it’s carrying case. I had never even thought of that. It is a whole new world of information. Here we go on another adventure.
Enjoy some pictures of the hive in process…

Hive inserts with beeswax liner
Little painter and the hive body

Firefighter Pete

Posted on by under Family, Farm

Peter recently had an experience few kids have and fewer adults want to have. He was a real fire fighter. We started a fire in an old pasture not thinking of the six plus years of grass that had not been eaten down. It has been fairly wet and still is in most areas around the farm. The fire quickly spread to some dry grass which found more dry grass and so on. Mat had a bucket of water on hand but needed more. He also needed to keep putting out the flames before they got to the barn or spread to neighboring pastures. Peter was quick in bringing Silas inside, then in running to the barn to get a little bucket full of water. He went back and forth from barn to Daddy, stamping out a few flames in between. We are proud of how God is shaping him into an obedient and quick minded son. Without him, the fire could have been really big and damaging to us and neighboring farms.

We learn from our mistakes, but please pray for us that our future mistakes are not life threatening or pray that we can learn from others so we don’t have to make big mistakes.

The fire was started well behind the barn and spread up this far.

The fire was started well behind the barn and spread up this far.

Gardens of Praise

Posted on by under Family, Urban connect

Mathew started Gardens of Praise a few years back. We felt lead away to do a new thing on the farm while staying connected with and being an extension for the ministries we love so much in the city. Under Jericho Road Ministries, Laurie took on leadership of the gardens and we are so blessed and excited at what is happening there.

I just wanted to share the link for the most recent newsletter. Click here. There are some great pictures that show the beautiful diversity that we miss. God is doing great things.

May Day Fun

Posted on by under Family

In trying to be neighborly to those near our new home, we decided to try something new… May Day baskets. My boys and I were excited to get little gifts together, make (and eat) yummy treats, and go to homes and deliver the baskets. Peter was especially excited this morning that he was able to run away from others in order not to be caught.
I watched as the boys ran to the door or ducked under windows, rang the bell or knocked hard on doors, then Peter would run and Silas would scamper away.
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Our baskets had the following: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Peanut Butter balls, Zucchini bread, a card and pictures drawn by the boys, bubbles, a magnet, a Hawaiian tradition, and a marigold. We enjoyed putting these together. Yesterday it was a little too nice outside to be inside baking. Today could use some warming up. We will definitely be drinking warm cocoa with the extra cookies today.
Later in the day we received a May Day basket on our doorstep. Peter chased our visitors all around the yard and did some show and tell of his frog egg discovery and the new home for our older chicks. We have definitely found a new love for May Day and those that let us break into their morning.

Final sapping days

Posted on by under Family, Farm, Maple Syrup, Pastured pride

We’ve been busy…

It’s a messy trail to the sugarbush
Sapping with Bapa
He loves the outdoors
Drinking sap
Bapa gives some chopping pointers
Loving their freedom
Becoming quite the farmer boy
Meeting a new friend
Learning to chop wood
Teaching the basics of sapping to some friends

Oatmeal and Raisins…trying a gluten free, vegan cookie

Posted on by under Maple Syrup, Recipes

Mat is out in the woods all day and night boiling the last of this years sap to make some excellent maple syrup. My boys and I occupied ourselves with a new project today and needed some vegan and gluten free treats.

First, I found this:
Healthier Peanut Butter Balls

Second, I found this:
The Ultimate Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

My boys and I made the peanut butter balls and cut the sugar in half, as I do with most recipes. It turned out not as yummy as I thought it should be. Then we made the cookies. I didn’t cut the sugar in half because of my peanut butter ball mistake. I wish I had (a good excuse to make them again). They did turn out rather yummy, so I wanted to share what I did for all my gluten free loved ones…

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Coconut flour

  • Servings: 26
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

1 & 3/4 cups pecans, toasted
2 cups regular oats, divided
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup brown sugar (I will definitely try 1/4 cup next time)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp almond milk
3.5 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup raisins

Directions: Coat pecans in tiny amount of oil, a touch of maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt. Toast pecans on a baking pan for 10 minutes. Let them cool. Put in a blender until coarsely chopped (put only half in at a time if you have a small blender). Combine flour, baking soda, 1 cup oats, cinnamon, and sugar. Add the nuts to the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, melt the coconut oil, then add maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of oats and the raisins. Make a ball with the dough, put it on the cookie sheet and flatten it. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before putting on a cooling rack. This made about 26 medium sized cookies.

This follows the original recipe quite closely, so much thanks to ohsheglows.com, a website I plan to visit again.

Homemade granola bars

Posted on by under Honey, Maple Syrup, Recipes

Granola BarIt hit the 55 degrees mark today. That means we pull out the shorts and T-shirt and go BBQ in Minnesota, don’t ‘cha know. Now that spring might poke its buds out, I’m thinking of warm weather food.
This is one of my favorite snacks. It doesn’t require baking and is stored in the fridge. That makes it perfect for those stuffy hot days. Enjoy!
Click here to see the recipe