Cedar Creek Ranch

11/11/2025

The season of rest is setting in and it’s sort of a breath of fresh air when the last of the butcher animals go off to processing. Less mouths to feed and no water to carry now that the water lines have been drained for the winter. Only thing to water with buckets is the chickens and I’m okay with that. The past couple years meant carrying pails of water to the pigs morning and night and I’m glad to say that there is none of that this year. I’m debating how to keep eggs from freezing on the truck or just move egg sales to a planned pick up time. I don’t want them to freeze on the truck but I think I can figure a way to prevent that to keep things as self serve with those and baked goods.

11/11/2025

The colder weather always brings the want for a simmer pot on the stove. Some use them to fill the air with sweet smells and a little humidity in the dry air of the house and others add intention to what they add to the pot. I tend use seasonal fruits, apples for the time being with a little cinnamon and cloves makes the house smell like apple pies baking. December normally brings a pot full of orange slices, cranberries and assorted spices. Do you simmer pot? What is your favorite combination of things to add?

11/07/2025

11/05/2025

23 years I have hunted, 23 years I’ve given credit where credit is due to an animal that gives up its life to sustain mine. Many years I was outsmarted by them, many years I filled tags. I only have one set of antlers in my portfolio. But in all of my 23 years of hunting I’ve never witnessed what I did a few nights ago. I hunt a sap woods, there’s several lines and wires that have been in there for years. I was not expecting this one to attempt to jump wires and end up tangled in the wires and fight to escape but only cut all the muscle off its attachment in its leg and damage its shoulder. Things happen, not to often though does timing line you up with a choice. I had three choices in that moment when I went to investigate all the noise. One was to walk away and let nature take its course, two attempt to free the deer and hope it makes a full recovery, finds enough feed and doesn’t end up a three legged coyote bait, while trying to not get my rear kicked in the process, third end its suffering as humanely and quickly as I can, take it as an anterless kill and feed myself and family. Given the picture I went with the third choice. To end its suffering humanely and quickly as I could. Thankfully, accepting its fate and probably tired from struggling I was able to do so. This is not a deer I’d actively hunt for but I won’t waste and I won’t allow an animal to suffer if there’s away it can be prevented. Now, hopefully bag a buck or mature doe in the archery season and can walk away with gratitude knowing that they have provided.

10/31/2025

Tonight signifies the beginning of the season of rest. The earth is going to take her yearly nap. Harvest soup for tonight’s meal honoring that. Meatballs made from lamb and pork, the fall is when spring lambs are harvested, along with this is generally the time hogs are slaughtered. In a broth of chicken stock root vegetables slowly cook and the last plant still standing in the garden, kale, softens. It’s hearty and filling for a light soup. One of my favorites for fall, full of flavor and healthy.

10/31/2025

There’s something special about this time of year…
The fields are quiet. The air feels different — like the world is holding its breath. 🌕🍂

Tonight isn’t just about candy and costumes — it’s about the in-between.
The stillness. The stories. The reminder that change is part of every season.

So light a candle, pour a mug of something warm, and take a moment to honor how far you’ve come — and what’s waiting to grow next. 🌾🧡

Happy Halloween, friends.

10/30/2025

This. ✌🏻💛

10/30/2025

Orders for rolls and bread in by tomorrow afternoon! Will have some available on the farm stand this weekend as well. Will be doing a few more weeks of orders until I leave for vacation. Any thanksgiving orders for sourdough bread I’d suggest getting them in and freezing your loaves as I will not be baking that week prior.

Thank you!

10/28/2025

Nothing beats caramel sauce and apples in the fall. Especially, when your caramel sauce recipe only takes a matter of minutes and it five ingredients. It took me longer to separate the cream off than make the caramel this morning.

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

(I doubled the recipe)

Melt butter in a pot on medium low heat, add brown sugar and stir until combined, minutes. It may bubble and don’t stop stirring otherwise it may burn. Slowly, add in heavy cream while continuing to stir. Mixture will bubble and stir for two more minutes, remove from heat. Add vanilla and salt, combine well. Place in jars and refrigerate. It will be runny when pouring into the jars but will thicken up as it cools.

10/26/2025

Instead of a meal with polish sausage and the left over kraut (and the one jar that didn’t seal) it’s some Tennessee wild pig. We were gifted some pork sausage, a little venison from a fallow deer and this pork roast. Seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika and a couple bay leaves, it is headed for a day slowly cooking in the oven. While we cut and split firewood. I’ll cook up some of the potatoes from the garden, mix the hem with some fresh butter and cream and call it a weekend at the end of the day.

10/25/2025

Out here, fall has a way of slowing everything down.
The air feels heavier with wood smoke and gratitude.
The garden is tucked in, the evenings come earlier, and the world turns quiet enough to hear the crunch of leaves under your boots.

It’s not glamorous — but it’s grounding.
And maybe that’s what this season is meant to remind us of:
that rest is part of the rhythm.
That slowing down doesn’t mean you’re falling behind — it means you’re making space to breathe.

So pour a mug of something warm, step outside, and let yourself just be for a moment.

10/24/2025

We’ve had some raptors visiting more often than normal. The chickens attract them, though, I’ve yet to have one kill a hen. The Cooper’s hawk was taunting the roosters by coming up to the fence and the Bald eagle just hung around for a couple weeks and now I haven’t seen him.