Archaeology at the Farm

Hate is a strong word, but I have HATED the industrial, pressed cardboard ceiling in my living room since the day I moved into my farmhouse. I won't go into the semantics of why it wasn't ripped out before now. Several years ago when it started to sag, I requested its removal. But like everything else at the time, instead of being fixed properly, it was propped up (improperly) with some old iron support stars and glued back (unsuccessfully) into place.

But lately, it's been sagging more & more. "Should I fix it?" I questioned myself. But the answer was obvious. No, I would deal with it when the first tile fell. Not only did the first tile fall, it brought down eight others with it. It was time.

While the ultimate goal is to expose the beams, I was not prepared to deal with tearing out a horsehair plaster ceiling, nor did I want to. That task is delegated to my demo-loving buddy from the city who is more than happy to wreak havoc in exchange for some awesome food. This hole was by far the ugliest blemish on the entire project thus far. Taking out the tiles was fairly easy, quick and painless. It took about an hour with the help of my young neighbor gal who graciously hoofed out the panels by the tote load to a wheelbarrow for transport to the burn pile. (Ladies, can you say another 'farm gals gone wild' bonfire?)
My ceilings have always seemed strangely low and now I understand why. Just removing the cardboard tiles has put another four inches of vertical living space in that room. It's awesome and I can't wait to expose more.

Sure, the runners for the suspended tiles are ugly and so it the vintage silver wall paper, but what's another month or two of this crap?

Ah, the 'treasures'! There's a big hickory tree a few hundred feet away from the house, yet I found oodles of empty hickory nuts stashed on top of the suspended tiles, along with LOTS of mouse crap and even a dead mouse skeleton.With enough space to get my hand into the void, I was able to shoot a few pictures of what will be exposed when the project is completed. Those are 8' beams which means I will gain a full vertical foot in the living room. Awesome!

The big stink about tearing out the ceiling was always 'you'll expose the wires'. Well, here's the wire. BFD.

Lovely American Chestnut beams.

Come on, is this really all that bad for a few weeks compared to the awesome beauty about to be exposed?

Look at all that space I was missing!

When I was tearing out the ceiling my helper astutely noticed, "You're having a really fun time doing this." Indeed, I was.

Ninth Annual Labor Day Goat Roast

We did it again! No, that's not the goat we roasted. That's Peaches, one of the first goats here at the farm who started the tradition of the goat roast when we slaughtered the first born male to share with family and friends.

Each year I try to cook the goat in a different style--Mexican, Jamaican, Italian, Hawaiian.... This year I went African. On the advice of my African customers, I left on the skin, singed off the hair, scrubbed off the char and stuffed the belly with peppers, garlic and zatar (spice mix).

The results were phenomenal! No constant basting and the meat was extremely moist and tender.

In addition to the goat, there were two smoked turkeys, beef sausage patties and a ham.

The reason for the Labor Day tradition also came about because the previous Saturday, the Skarlatos family has their family reunion lamb roast and I used their rotisserie before buying my own. Nick & Pan sharing a beer and checking out the goat just after putting it to fire.

Three new guests at the goat roast.

Lots of family and many friends.

New faces & familiar ones.

The neighborhood crowd.

Fellow farmers and market folks.

Friends from D.C. & Shippensburg.

The boys wrap up a long weekend of camping with the goat roast.

No one ever leaves hungry.

Joseph explains to Steve just what is in the traditional Nigerian Pepper Soup he made with the head, feed & offal of the goat.

Steve finds a piece of trachea & esophagus.

One of the many barn kitties finds a new family. He'll be well loved & spoiled rotten.

Luke helps Kaj up the steps after they get their homemade peach ice cream.

Jonas saved the day when we had technical difficulties with the ice cream churn. Lesson learned.

Dessert! The best way to end a great picnic.

PART FOUR: The Soaking Garden

It's not fancy, but it works. It's kind of like Legos for Adults. When I get it set up the way I want it, then I'll level it off and add some mortar. But for now, I'll continue to play with my blocks, soak in the water tank and shamelessly sun myself.

PART THREE: The Soaking Garden

A quick dry run to check out the view.

In preparation for Farm Girls Gone Wild night, I spent another full day on the block pile. With more block than I know what to do with, I decided to extend the patio further and add a fire pit.

Now there's room for the table & chairs, the lounge chair and the ofuro. I have a hanging swing in the barn that could probably go under the trees, too. More block still over on the pile so I've started a smaller deck just below the fire pit. Still have the retaining wall to go, too.

When all is done, I'm going to surround the area with day lilies and rudbeckia. Finally, a place to sit, read, relax and enjoy my farm.

PART TWO: The Soaking Garden

For years, I've hated all those blocks stacked around the garden. And then one day, someone said to me, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!" and then proceeded to start tumbling the columns into the dirt. But what to do with all those blocks?

I really had no desire to haul them far from where they fell, so I decided just to level off an area and set them on a flat area to create a private patio area where I can put patio furniture and my farm-style ofuro.

No concrete in case I ever want to move them. They don't even need to be perfectly even.

Sixty-four 32lb. cinder blocks--who needs a gym?

One pile of block down and one to go. I wonder if I'll find any more 'artifacts'.

PART ONE: The Soaking Garden

"This is the best view of your farm. Why do you use it as an overgrown storage area for crap you don't use?" And so began the work on what will ultimately become The Soaking Garden (aka: the nude sunbathing garden) since it will host a soaking tub and is cloaked in the privacy of pine trees.

The panels from a fellow farming friend have been stacked there for nearly two years. At first, they were to be the walls for an equipment shed, but now they are slated to be the roofs of pasture shelters. I should be able to get four 8'x16' shelters out of them. Projects for another day.

This will be the view once the compost pile is spread. Lots of unused cinder blocks and a lonely bunny cage. The blocks I can use. The bunny cage will have to find a new home.

The weed whacker made short order of all those tall weeds. Next step is to remove the top soil, lay down hardware clothe and set the block in a platform for the tub, lounger and privacy screens.

The opposite side of the trees looked a bit ratty so I trimmed off all the dead branches. Looking good!