"Rain in May is a barn full of hay."

The old hay loader

There's an old farmer's saying, "Rain in May is a barn full of hay," but a barn full of hay doesn't get there by wishing. I remember as a child how my father used to take in loose hay with a hay loader pulled by an old flatbed milk truck from the 1930s which he actually drove at the age of thirteen, picking up cans of fresh milk daily from local farmers and delivering them to the creamery.

The rusty old truck we used for haying was far from the truck it was in its finest days. I can still smell the old gasoline engine and its pungent, oily-smelling exhaust system. It was a shabby-looking pile of metal with a seat made of springs you might actually feel if it wasn’t for the old carpets covering it. It lacked a door on the driver’s side, and the window was removed on the passenger side to allow for the free flow of air. The windshield on the old truck vented outward as well which helped the fumes filtering up from the floor boards to escape.  

Hay being fed up a loader

As the driver, my job was to steer the dilapidated truck slowly down a row of hay, straddling it with the front wheels. Dad caught the loose hay rolling its way up the hay loader and distributed it evenly onto the flatbed until we had a full load. Once the hay was stacked to a certain depth on the bed, it also buried the driver’s view out a low rectangular back window. The only way to see the person on the load was to step out on the old running board and look around and up. 

A sharp whistle was my signal to stop immediately. It either meant the hay was thick and coming up too fast or the truck bed was full. Or every so often a black snake would take a hike up and have to be pitched off. The worse possible scenario was when we hayed the side hills on our farm. If the hay was extremely dry and slippery, it shifted and slid off, taking Dad with it. That meant a delay, since the hay would have to be thrown back up onto the truck bed. 

Hay forks

When at last, we reached the barn, a giant hay fork from a track, extending from roof peak to roof peak, was lowered and the hay was pulled upward, onto the track, and onward to the end of the mow where a trip rope would drop the huge heap. These giant forkfuls would then have to be again distributed evenly about the loft, outward to the corners.

 

Haying in summer meant hot days, muggy nights, and sore muscles. But the smell of newly mown hay or dried sweet clover in the loft negated all the sweat and hard work. And when the hay reached the rafters, you could look out the little window at the peak and see the fields spread out before you and the swallows gliding at eye level—and you thought you were queen of the mow.  

Finally, It's Spring in Central Pennsylvania!

It's springtime! Everything around us in Central Pennsylvania whispers of the beginning of spring ever since the calendar has been turned to April. The onion snow has melted, and warmer temperatures have antsy homeowners mowing lawns and inspecting the flora and fauna in their yards.

The rhubarb has valiantly pushed itself out of the ground, fearless of freezing nights. Fiddleheads have recently appeared, along with the first dandelions the bees have patiently been waiting for.

 Lilac bushes are decked out in green buds and tiny purple blossom tips which will transform into delicate, lavender flowers to make the evening air smell sweet and pleasurable. Daffodils and the tiny Muscari Latifolium, from the grape hyacinth clan, have popped up and spread out low to the still-chilly ground.

The chickadees and cardinals, two of the first birds to appear each spring, have found the seed feeders and persistently call to their respective mates. Sparrows sing a merry tune while a nearby wren just chatters her displeasure like a cranky child.

Canada geese, winging north, honk out a lonesome sound  and skim the trees looking for the safety of water where they’ll rest for the night before taking flight the next day. And in the swamps, marshes and pond perimeters, the peepers send up a nightly chorus of a song reminding everyone that finally—yes, it’s springtime in Pennsylvania. Finally!

Happy Easter with Polish Haluski - Fried Cabbage, Ham & Noodles

Two Recipes

            Haluski (Recipe 1)

             
           Ingredients:

 
2 1/2 Cups fully cooked ham, cubed small

     (Note: bacon or sausage can be substituted)

1 3/4 cups white onion, diced

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds cabbage, cut into bite-sized 

       pieces

1 teaspoons salt  (if using bacon delete 

       this ingredient)    

1 teaspoon olive oil

8 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon freshly black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

8 ounces dry egg noodles

                Directions:

In a large skillet, over medium high-heat, cook the ham cubes in 3 tablespoons of the butter until they start to slightly brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter more to the pan, then add in the minced garlic, onions and sauté for roughly 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, oil, salt and both peppers, mix then cover reduce to medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package, then drain. Once cabbage mixture is tender, add in the drained noodles. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and cook for about 2 minutes. 

Haluski  (Recipe 2)

Happy Easter!

Ingredients:

4 cups egg noodles

^{1/2 cup butter}

2 cups sliced sweet onions, about 1/8 inch thick

2 teaspoons brown sugar

6 cups cabbage, sliced thin

1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)

1 cup diced ham, sausage or bacon (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook egg noodles according to package directions, then drizzle with a bit of oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together and set aside.
2. While noodles are cooking, melt butter in large deep skillet over medium-low heat.
3. Add onion, sprinkle with brown sugar and saute, stirring occasionally for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened and just beginning to turn golden. Add optional desired meet at this point.
4. Add cabbage to skillet, stirring well to incorporate with onion, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in caraway seeds if using, then cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Turn heat back to medium, add cooked noodles, salt and pepper, and stir well until noodles are heated though. Serve hot.  Makes 4 servings.