Gyro-Burger with Yogurt Sauce

Gyro-Burger

1 pound ground American lamb
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 pita bread rounds (6-inch), halved crosswise
1 cup chopped fresh spinach or lettuce

Yogurt Sauce
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped (about 2/3 cup)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint, crushed
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, optional

Gyro-Burger

In large bowl, combine oregano, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, cumin and salt. Add lamb; mix well. Form into 4 patties, each about 3/4-inch thick. Grill over medium coals or broil about 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness.

Yogurt Sauce
In medium bowl, combine yogurt, chopped cucumber, sliced green onion, mint and sugar.

Split open each pita half to form a pocket. Place gyro-burger in each pocket; top with chopped spinach and yogurt mixture.

Some of the 63 Katahdin lambs

They started arriving on May 13th. I think we have 3 more ewes to lamb. Lots of interesting spots and markings on them this year. My favorite is a brown ewe with white sox and tail.

How Appropriate

This guy was ahead of me in line at McDonalds. Hope you can read the bumper sticker in his window. Its certainly looks to be true......

The Phoebe Phive

Catalpa Tree

There are dozens of these trees that line T Ridge on the way into Caldwell. They are just starting to bloom now. The roadway is strewn with sweet smelling blossoms.
That is Belle Valley in the distance.

Phoebe's nest

Success! This nest is on our back porch, so we disturb Mrs Phoebe every time we come in and out. She's managed to hatch the eggs in spite of us.

Rabbit Pot Pie

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 c cooked rabbit meat
2 med potatoes, baked, cooled, and cubed
1 c diced carrots

1 c chopped onion

1 c thinly sliced celery

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 T flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp parsley flakes

1 refrigerated pie crust

Heat oven to 400F. Combine all filling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Spoon filling mixture into baking pan. Place crust over top, crimping edges, and cutting slits in top to release steam. Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Tulip Poplar

I've seen lots of these trees in bloom. Snore. Yes, the tree itself is tall and stately, and the leaf shape and shine makes them eyecatching. They are actually a favorite of mine.
I was driving through Old Washington today after delivering some flyers advertizing a teacher's workshop, and my jaw dropped. I went around the block, pulled over, and took these pictures. This tree was covered with these blossoms, which are the size of baseballs.

Getting ready for the Great Lakes Sheep & Wool in Wooster

The Great Lakes Fiber Festival is next weekend, May 29-30. Memorial Day weekend. I've got a booth there, and got a second one for the Bluefaced Leicester Union (BLU) members who want to bring things to sell. These are some of the BFL locks I've been washing and dyeing to sell there. I am expecting a box of several BFL (and 2 blended with angora) rovings to take there in the mail this week.
Besides these projects, I just have ONE MORE BFL lamb fleece to skirt, and then I can mail out the wool for my yarn run. Stonehedge is doing it for me, too. That should be back in time for the Wool Gathering in September.

Farm Market Report

Sales at the farmers market continue to improve. I took 5 rabbits there to sell, and they were gone within the hour. My cooler was nearly emptied of lamb, too. Now that spring is here, there are lots more vendors and they've opened up the outside sales area. Lots of garden plants and such.

Thai Lamb Salad

1 lb lamb, thinly sliced

1 T lemon juice

1 clove garlic, chopped

4 T soy sauce

3 T sugar

4 ounces rice vermicelli noodles

1 head butter lettuce, or other leaf lettuce

2 T toasted sesame seeds

1 bunch mint

1 bunch basil

For the dipping sauce:

4 T soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 T white vinegar

1 red Thai chili, finely chopped

PREPARATION

1. Put the lamb in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour so that it is firm, almost frozen. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the meat across the grain into thin slices.

2. Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce by mixing together all the ingredients and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Set aside.

3. Marinade lamb by combining lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar. Toss the lamb in the marinade and let stand until ready to grill.

4. While the lamb marinades, prepare the rice vermicelli. Boil the rice vermicelli noodles in a pot of water until al dente, shock in ice water, drain and reserve.

5. Heat a skillet or wok to high and lightly oil. At the first wisp of white smoke, cook the thinly sliced lamb over high heat until desired doneness.

6. To serve, arrange lettuce on plates, top with vermicelli, and then divide hot lamb between plates. Garnish with mint, basil leaves, and toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with dipping sauce.

Ag School Days

Each year, our SWCD office, the Noble county office, and the OSU extension get together and have 2 days of educational programing for local 3rd graders. This year, we have 400 students attend the Ag School Days presentation. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I did 15 minute talks all day, first commenting on the shearing demonstration, and then showing the students how wool is washed, dyed, carded, spun, and finally made into fabrics by knitting or weaving. After saying the same thing 13 times in a row, you get pretty good at it. :^)
The kids LOVE it, and the teachers all say this is the best field trip ever! The kids also get to hold baby lambs, see and touch chicks that are being hatched, fish in a pond, look for "bugs" in a stream, hear all about how animal products are used, talk about forestry and wildlife, and learn about electrical safety.

UARC angora specialty at Mineral Wells, WV show

Stacie Easton judging the French angoras at the UARC specialty show yesterday in Mineral Wells, WV. It was a triple show, with Blennerhassett and Southern WV clubs hosting open shows. That's Charlotte, Tom (in blue coat in background) Tina, Becca, Scott, Pam and Jan.
These are the English colored bucks. That's Tom, Nancy, Jan, JoAnn, Kathy,Billie,and then Jessica in the light blue jacket.

Here are the BOB winners: Judge Stacie, Charlotte with BOB French AND BOB Giant, Nikki with BOB Satin, and Jessica with BOB English. Charlotte also won Best in Show with her French. The award is in front of her; its an engraved hurricane candle. The BOB winners received frosted glass ornaments with a picture of their breed engraved on it.

Lamb Taco Soup

2 lbs ground lamb, or lamb stew meat pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can diced green chillies
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 dash of hot sauce
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 packages dry Ranch dressing mix
1 can pinto beans
1 can great northern beans
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can white hominy
1 can yellow or white corn
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
32 oz beef broth

Brown the meat and onions then add all other ingredients to a large dutch oven or crockpot. Mix and cook over low heat for at least an hour or place all ingredients in a crock pot and let cook all day or overnight. Serve with corn chips and shredded cheddar cheese.

BFL breeder Diane Kelly's fiber shop in Bedford, PA

She and Ronnie have purchased the old jail and have turned the sheriff's residence into a shop called Firesong. She has finished woven and knitted items, along with some yarns, rovings, and spinning and weaving supplies. She wants to get a line of dyes in. The jail part has not been put to use yet. She is thinking of making it into classrooms, gallery, even some studios.
Here is Diane at her loom in the parlor. Isn't the light just great for weaving? The house has several working fireplaces. There is an apartment upstairs where Diane spends the weekends while the shop is open.
This is the front entryway. She has all her finished goods in the room to the right.

Champion white longwool ewe at Maryland show

Meredith Myers of Maryland bred and showed this beautiful ewe, winning champion white longwooled ewe. As you can see by her beaming, she was absolutely thrilled! The BFLs in these classes did quite well - 3 of the winners of the ewe classes were BFLs, and the yearling ram was a BFL, too.
Take a close look at her fleece.

Award Ceremony for BLU at MS&W during the lunch meet & greet

This is is BLU membership chair Jolene Vezzetti (in blue) talking with the 2010 BFL Youth Conservation Award winner, Jacob Moore. Rachel Goodpaster donated the ewe he will be receiving through this program that is sponsored by the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival. Jolene gave Jake and his mother, Glenda, a nice packet of information as new members of BLU. She also gave Jake some BFL roving to spin.

This is BLU Vice-president, Margaret VanCamp, presenting BLU founder and former secretary/treasurer, Kelly Ward a token of our appreciation for the 10 years of service she gave BLU. Kelly was instrumental in getting BLU off to a good start, and continues to offer her support and guidance to the new BLU board.
Kelly reading the inscription. On the front is engraved the BLU logo. Inside are BFL cookies and blue M&Ms with BLU and "blue is finer" printed on them. This is me with the original of the artwork Kris Barndt(current BLU secretary) designed for the calendar for the first BFL national show held in Rhinebeck at that show and festival. The ewe pictured is my SHF Clio, with her twins, Kerryn and Jerviswood. Kerryn is the mother of the quads that were born to the Fraleys here in Ohio this spring. Kris gave it to me as a thank you for serving as the first BLU president.

Ohio Mini-Convention Today

This is me with BOB Satin Angora doe - SomerhillTrieste. This was her 3rd leg. YEA! Annette's buck, Marcus, was BOS. Thanks for the picture, Annette. :^)
Judge Todd Naragon judging the French Angoras. This is Annette's doe, Halo. I did not have any FA entered.
Ron Mauck judging the English Angoras.

BFL Cookies

These are for a special event at the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival today. I'll post more about it when I get home this evening.