Last week my neighbours introduced me to the taste sensation that is sweet potato pancakes. When Chuck placed them in front of me I actually thought I saw a creamy center, and I was intrigued. His delicious pancakes didn't hold any surprises, but it set me to thinkin'. And so, this morning, I invented Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Pancakes. I researched sweet potato pancake recipes, sweet potato cream cheese pie recipes, and mixed these with my dad's fabulous pancake recipe to create heaven on a plate. These are NOT blintzes. These are full on, puffy, McGriddle sized golden circles of joy. Make for yourself and find out!

Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Pancakes

2c. flour (adjust as necessary)
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 Tblsp. Brown sugar
dash sea salt
3 eggs
½ tsp. ea: nutmeg, cinnamon
1 can sweet potatoes, drained, rinsed, and mashed OR 2 lbs. cooked sweet potato, peeled and mashed
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
¾ - 1 c. milk

Sift together dry ingredients. Beat eggs; add milk, vanilla and sweet potato. Mix until smooth. Combine with dry ingredients just until moistened. In separate bowl, mix cream cheese with maple syrup or other desired sweetener. (The cream cheese must be soft – pop in the microwave if necessary – or it won’t take the liquid. You should come up with a paste that looks a lot like whipped cream.) Bake on hot griddle, about 350. Drop a few tablespoons of batter onto the griddle; layer with a dollop of cream cheese. Flip when pancakes bubble and flatten with spatula. (Seriously, give 'em a good whack.) Makes about 18 4-inch pancakes, which is more than anyone needs.

Hey all you Ballyhooligans! A quick update on farm news:

- The old chicken coop will be demolished shortly and the bones of its replacement are ready to go!
- The duck house has been moved into place and roofing materials are waiting for the first nice day!
- One garden bed is ready for assembly and the wood for the rest (donated by our wonderful neighbours at Wampa Stomp Farm) has been laid out and measured!
- Posts are in for the new front fence

Upcoming Events:

Ballyhoo Bonfire - date TBA. This event will start off with a fishing tournament and barbeque followed by a bonfire!

Ballyhoo Beehives are coming in April/May! Honey will be available in limited quantities this year, so keep in touch to reserve yours!

Baby, it's cold outside...for now. While the valuable grass may be blanketed in white, the growing season is less than 6 weeks away! Lettuce and beet seedlings are reaching toward the cold gray window and I'm making lists. The Dodge Superbowl ad, featuring Paul Harvey, was spot on about farming. Something always needs to be done, and there never seems to be enough time to do it all. Here's my list (right now):

Fence garden
Build and fill raised beds
Dismantle old chicken coop
Build brooding box for chicks
Order chicks
Build new chicken coop
Build duck house
Weed and edge flower beds
Trim apple trees
Clear back 3 acres
Fence back 3 acres
Build gates
Re-gravel driveway
Card fleece
Reseed pastures

And that's BEFORE planting outdoors begins. It's brutal! Yet I wouldn't have it any other way. There's a certain pride that comes from taming the land, raising your own food, working hard with your whole self that I've never experienced from anything else. The animals, the weather, everything provides variety. The seasons are consistent, and my plans stay basically the same, but every year things are different enough to make it interesting.

I'll go ahead and add