Last Saturday, I went to look at two sets of heifers for my Dad in Aberdeen, S.D. It is a little over a two hour drive. The heifers looked very nice & I was glad to make the outing. 
John and I have decided that I am not getting enough sunshine, because I stay inside and write all day. So, after I got back from a long day of driving, I helped him cut down some trees from the road ditches around a field. The trees are “illegal” in these ditches and he could be fined if they are not removed. This was my daily dose of sunshine. 
I also got to drive “White.” This pickup is literally a decade older than me! Runs just fine under 35 🙂 
They harvested the neighbor’s wheat this week. I think they started on Monday or Tuesday. It all runs together sometimes, you know?
Somehow I managed to stay up well into the night twice this week. Doing what you might ask?
Canning.
I have no idea why canning takes so dang long. In the future, I am going to have to save these projects for the weekend. I’ll start bright and early and hopefully finish before the next day technically begins. I think all this canning is making me feel more prepared for the long, cold winter. It is like a survival instinct. Canned food = survive winter. 
After making spaghetti sauce (which required all four burners for several hours) I now fully understand the phrase: If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen! It was 86 degrees inside and 79 outside. Lord, I miss central air! 
We also have major kitten updates this week. (Moda is still hanging around my feet every time I go outside, no news there.)
A new mama cat, named Mrs. Patches, has been hanging around the farm the last few weeks. She is a bit wild, but she likes to eat our cat food. We knew she had kittens, but we weren’t sure where they were located.
Then, she finally brought them to our barn. We’ve counted 5 or 6. They are wild, so I don’t have a good count yet. 
That was our big week on the farm! Viewing heifers, cutting trees, wheat harvest, MORE kittens, 14 quarts of green beans and a whole bunch of spaghetti sauce!
Have a wonderful weekend!
XXOO, Sierra
Why Farmin’ Friday?
Recent statistics show that just 1% of the U.S. population considers farming their primary occupation. Since John & I fall into that 1% group, I believe it is important to share about our work in food production. Since 100% of American’s eat, every Friday I write to those who may wonder: Where does my steak come from? What does a farm look like? Who are the farmers and ranchers? What do they do?
Sierra, just out of curiosity did you not get the hint when MaMoo was always busy in the kitchen. And only if you got a sun tan with that 86 degrees in the kitchen…LOL Great reading and always look forward to Friday readings.
Absolutely love reading about your farming life! I am so thankful for the 1% of people like you and John who provide food for America!
Miss you!
It is always good to see what is going on in farming life. What a great way to document your early years together………enjoy!
Sierra when we cook tomatoes down to cook off the extra water and to make it thicker we use a big roaster……..holds a lot and keeps the heat in the kitchen down. Love to read your stories! and you should think about keeping the little gray and white kitten.
Kathy, that is the best idea ever! I will do that next time!
Hi Sierra,
We just grind our tomatoes in a food processer and put the pulp in jars and then water bath the filled jars. I don’t cook down the pulp beforehand so I can use the canned tomato in sauces and soups. I don’t add water for soups and cook down the tomatoe sauce during the winter when heat in the house is welcome. Of course water bathing is not heat-free but it doesn’t take as much time than cooking down the tomatoe sauce.
Laure.
Thanks for sharing your your day with us. I have really enjoyed reading your about your new life with John. Takes me back 21 years with my Jon.
Do you have before and after photos of the ditch?…. I’m curious about the whole illegal tree thing… I think that is funny…. I’ve seen photos of South Dakota that I would think that trees would be under legal protection instead … and then I think about the ditches in Missouri… talk about a full employment scheme, can you imagine how long it would take to clear the ditches in Missouri of trees?
Love your pictures. Just found your blog through The Country Register.
That’s wonderful, I just started writing for that paper this spring!! I just picked up a copy of the paper at the SD state fair!