Josh Kilmer-Purcell's Blog, page 7

4th of July Parade Recap

You build patriotism by first loving the community you are in. We were proud to march with other members of Team Beekman in the annual Sharon Springs 4th of July parade.

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Enjoying and Caring for Your Farm Fresh Eggs

At our farm, we raise more than just goats. Our chickens are just as needed, and have just as much personality, as our goats do when it comes to keeping the farm running smoothly. Breakfast would be less enjoyable, and our baked goods would not be as tasty, without the farm fresh eggs that Brent gathers in the morning.

Even if you don’t have your own chickens, there are many ways to get your hands on a dozen or two farm fresh eggs. While there are more steps involved than just putting a carton away in your fridge, it’s worth buying fresh eggs for the flavor and the satisfaction of knowing you are helping your friendly neighborhood farmer.

Here are three easy steps for caring and storing your farm fresh eggs.

Step 1: Pick your eggs

Eggs have natural mechanisms in place to make sure the yummy yolk and white inside are kept safe. If you are collecting an egg that has been recently laid, it may still feel a little wet or tacky to the touch. This is called the bloom, which is a natural coating on the eggshell. Eggshells are naturally porous, and this bloom creates an antibacterial barrier between the shell and the rest of the world.

When inspecting your eggs, check for cracks and any other signs of trauma to the egg. If you find any bits of dirt or even a feather, that’s fine! We’ll take care of it in the next step.

Step 2: Pick your cleaning method

Before you eat or store your eggs, the first thing you need to do (if it hasn’t been done already) is clean your eggs. If you are collecting your eggs from your own backyard, make sure that your hens are laying eggs on freshly laid straw.

Some choose to not clean their eggs, relying on the bloom to protect the inside of the egg. For those who want to clean off their eggs, it’s time to pick a dry or wet method. A soft, dry cloth gives the eggs a quick wipe down and can preserve the bloom. You can always individually run your eggs under a running tap or place your eggs in a bowl or clean sink and saturate them with water. No need for soap, vinegar or other cleaning agents. Warm water is just fine.

Step 3: Pick your storage option

You have two options for storage. You can place the eggs in your fridge, which will extend shelf life. Usually the rule of thumb is one day in room-temperature storage equals one week of refrigerator storage.

Another way is to store them on your counter or a similar cool, dry place. You can even arrange them on an egg board. Egg boards are a stylish alternative to a regular cardboard container and keep your eggs in an easy-to-reach place. Egg boards are also handy for getting any cold eggs warmed up to room temp before using in baking or cooking. Whether you use the board for form or function, you worked hard for those eggs (or maybe you didn’t, we’ll keep your secret), and you should show them off!

Farm fresh eggs are great anytime of the day or night. With some simple steps, you can have eggs on hand for any occasion.

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Spring 2017 Almanac









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Summer 2017 Almanac









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Autumn 2017 Almanac









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Winter 2017 Almanac






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DIY Leather-Bound Journal

Brent travels everywhere with his journal. In his signature, physician-like chicken scratch, he jots down his to-do lists, ideas for the almanac and anything else that might pop into his head.

Also, did you know that during the first few years that we dated we kept a poetry journal at each other’s apartments? Each of us would write each other a secret poem whenever we could sneak it in. (We then read some of these poems at our wedding thirteen years later.)

This DIY leather cover project helps keep your to-do lists and romantic poetry safe from the elements. Because an unprotected notebook plus muddy fields is not a good mix.

MATERIALS

Leather
Scissors
Notebook
Rotary Knife Cutter
Pencil
Ruler
Leather Punch

INSTRUCTIONS

Measure the notebook. Ours measured at 5.8 by 8.3 inches (A5 Style size). Double your measurement, keeping in mind that the leather has to cover both sides of the notebook. Then add 3/4 inch to the edges of the measurements. Now make your markings based on your measurements on the rough/underside of the leather.

Cut the leather using the rotary knife. Make sure to cut on a surface that is not important. The rotary knife is strong and will penetrate onto any surface. We recommend using a cutting board.

Fold the cut leather in half lengthwise to test the size of the cut. Place the notebook inside and center it in the covering. Grab the pencil again and make two markings on the top half of the book at the spine, then repeat at the bottom. Using the leather punch, punch the 4 total holes. This is for the elastic to hold the notebook in the cover. Make one additional mark and punch centered about 1 inch on the backside of the cover.

Cut elastic to the length of the notebook then add 2 inches. Now loop and knot the elastic in the inside of the cover at the top holes. Place the notebook into the cover again and open it at the center. Run the elastic down the inside of the spine of the notebook ending at the bottom two holes to again loop and knot the elastic. Make sure the elastic is taught so the notebook stays secured.

The hole on the back cover is to knot an elastic loop in it. This elastic is your closure string. It should be the length of the whole notebook lengthwise wrapped around. Keep in mind that the elastic should be taught again and not loose.

Cut the elastic to size, pinch the two ends together, loop and knot it in the inside of the notebook again.

Test your size by closing the notebook. Now you’re travel ready.

 

 

 

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What is an Ommegang?

Our neighbors at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown have served as an inspiration to us for different events, products (like our trio of beer jellies), and even one of our favorite lunchtime recipes.

As our partnership has deepened, we have started to wonder what inspires them. More specifically, what inspired their name? What does ommegang mean?

It turns out that ommegangs and Beekman have a lot in common, specifically our love of working with artisans and being proud of where you’re from.

The perfect mix of pageantry and crafts

So what is an ommegang? Ommegang means “walk around” and that is the simplest way to the describe these events. However, there’s much more to an ommegang than a quick trip down the lane. These processions were a way for makers to show off their wares, to honor nobility and to celebrate what a city had to offer. These events have continued into the modern age, with events happening around Belgium, the Netherlands and northern France.

One of the very first ommegangs was religious in nature and has a surprising backstory. The Ommegang of Brussels, celebrated every July, was first used as a ceremony to honor the safe arrival of a statue of the Virgin Mary that traveled from Antwerp to Brussels.

According to legend, one morning a local woman named Beatrijs (pronounced like Beatrice) Soetkens had a vision. In this vision, the Virgin Mary told Beatrijs that there was a statue of Mary located in Antwerp, and that Beatrijs needed to take it. The statue was named ‘Onze-Lieve-Vrous op ‘t Stocxken’, which roughly translates to “Our Lady on the little stick.” Beatrijs, being a very devout woman, set about fulfilling the duties given to her in her vision.

The determined Beatrijs set about traveling the roughly 27.5 miles to Antwerp to retrieve the statue. In 1348, she was able to bring the statue back to Brussels by boat and proceeded to install the statue in the chapel of the Crossbow Guild. The Guild promised to honor the statue and Beatrijs’s accomplishment by holding an annual procession throughout the city.

As the years progressed, the procession took on a broader celebratory nature. The annual ommegang was no longer just about showing off the statue of the Virgin Mary, but about showing the total wealth of the city. Artisans and merchants throughout the city would take to the streets to set up stalls and show off their best pieces. The parade held by the Crossbow Guild slowly included more honorable members of the city, like nobility and other government leaders.

Charles V and Philippe make their grand debuts

This lead to the second event that the Ommegang of Brussels commemorates,

The “Joyous Entry” of Emperor Charles V. These Joyous Entries are events marking the first official visit of a reigning member of the nobility. Charles V was not only a leader in Belgium, but also a Roman Emperor and a king of Spain. He was beloved by the majority of Belgians and holds a special place in Belgian history.

Fresh off a battlefield victory, Charles V decided that the perfect time for his Joyous Entry would be during the city’s ommegang. He also used that year’s ommegang to introduce his heir to the throne, his son Philippe. Everyone from peasants to the aristocracy stepped up to the occasion, bringing out the crème de la crème of costumes, food, music, wares and more. Artisans created opulent displays for their items and there was friendly competition between the vendors on who could create the best stand, show off the best items, etc. The entire city was turned into a display of wealth and artistry.

The emperor and his family walked in the traditional procession and then took seats in the city square to enjoy displays from musicians, stilt walkers and other types of entertainment. It all culminated in a display of ‘gilles’, presenters dressed in costumes that honored the emperor’s heritage, who did ritual dances in the center of the city.

Emperor Charles V’s Joyous Entry is a significant one in Belgian history and is reenacted in the city every year during the annual ommegang. Over time, the event has expanded from a one-day event to a multi-day extravaganza.

Ros Beiaard: Just horsin’ around

Other famous ommegangs include the Ros Beiaard Ommegang in Dendermonde. This is another ommegang with a fanciful origin story. It honors Beiaard, a magical horse owned by Renaud de Montauban, a fictional hero of many French fables. This horse was said to easily carry Renaud and his three brothers around with little effort and could understand human speech. In the fables of Renaud, he had to give up his beloved horse to an enemy. That enemy then took Beiaard and tried the drown the horse in a river. But Beiaard, magical and cunning as can be, escaped his attacker and, according to legends, lives in the woods to this day.

To celebrate the stories about Renuad, his brothers and his trusty steed Beiaard, an ommegang is held every ten years. In this ommegang, in addition to the regular walk around the town to see artisanal products, a giant wooden horse is carried around the town center. The Ros Beiaard of Dendermonde horse figure is carried from underneath by 12 people, while four costumed, biological brothers (representing Renaud and his brothers) sit on top of the horse.

The reason this ommegang is held every 10 years is because, frankly, it’s a complicated event to hold. The horse is very heavy, weighing around 1,763 pounds, and that’s before the four brothers climb aboard. It is also roughly 15-feet high and 17-feet long.

The selection of the brothers to ride the horse during the ommegang is also difficult. To qualify to ride on top of Beiaard, you and your brothers must have been born consecutively, with no sisters in between. You, your brothers, your parents and grandparents must have all been born in Dendermonde. You and your siblings must currently live in Dendermonde or in one of its suburbs. Finally, you and your siblings must be between the ages of 7 and 21 years old.

So, after all of those boxes have been checked, you and your brothers have the honor to wear traditional costumes and ride on top of one of the biggest and most magical horses in the world. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

From celebrating a religious pilgrimage, to honoring leaders and even celebrating a magical horse, ommegangs across history all have one thing in common at their core, artisans and producers. A walk around would not be complete without these valuable makers and their wonderful wares.

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DIY Floral Wall Frame

With all of the different blossoms that Brent takes care of in our Heirloom Flower Garden, we’ve got a constant stream of new blossoms to fill the house and Mercantile. And since we believe that fresh flowers are nature’s version of modern art, why not treat them like it by placing them in their own unique frame? This easy DIY project is a fresh take on hanging art on the walls

MATERIALS

Wood Stain
Wood Frame
Stain Brush
Floral water tubes
Fresh Flowers
Screws
Screwdriver

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the unfinished wood frames for staining by placing them on a drop cloth. Make sure to be in a well-ventilated area, as the stain carries a strong scent and can be irritating.

Stain the wood using any finish. For this project, we used Weathered Oak. Dip your brush about 2 inches into the stain can, brushing the excess off when pulling the brush out of the can. The typical rule of thumb is to brush in the direction of the wood grain. Use light brush strokes, spreading out the stain until there is an even “dry” looking surface. While applying the stain, make sure the strain is being absorbed and there are no bubbles or puddles. Repeat until the wood is covered entirely. Stain the sides and bottom as well.

Set your drying pieces on a surface or drop cloth that won’t transfer the stain onto anything important and yet does not affect the drying process for the edges. Check your container of stain for the recommended drying time. Our can said a minimum of 8 hours. Doing this at night is best to let it dry overnight.

Make the hole for the metal bracket to post onto the frame in the desired area of the frame. We placed our hole 4 inches from the bottom of the frame.

Wedge the floral tube into the bracket so it is snug and fitted. Make sure the tube is not slipping at all. Take the bracket with the tube placed into it and screw it onto the frame.

Hang the frame on the wall by hammering a nail into the wall and placing the frame onto the nail.

Fill the tube halfway up with water and add fresh flowers. Tip: If the stems are too long the flower may start to droop, make sure to trim them appropriately.

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Spring 2017 Almanac









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Summer 2017 Almanac









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Autumn 2017 Almanac









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Winter 2017 Almanac






Visit the Mercantile

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18(+02) Interesting Facts about Honey and Bees

We keep an average of about 40 hives on Beekman 1802 Farm each summer, and they’re definitely the MVPs of the farm. (Ok, Ok…so maybe they’re tied with the goats.) Unlike the goats, they’re incredibly single-minded and industrious (again, sorry, goats.) Bees are single-minded. They venture out to find flowers as far away as 8 miles, gather their nectar and pollen and then beeline it home. The lifespan of the worker bee is short—from birth to death in about 6 weeks, so there’s not much time to gather from the rosebuds. However, the brevity of their natural existence does not deter them from their responsibilities. The bee population at Beekman 1802 peaks in mid-July when a queen can lay thousands of eggs a day–which is how a colony of a few hundred can swell to over 10,000 in a couple of weeks. Read on to learn a bit more about the busy bees.

 

 

And it wouldn’t be a true 18(02) without 2 more facts:

 

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Cinnamon Creamed Honey









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Ginger Creamed Honey









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Vanilla Creamed Honey









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Lavender Creamed Honey






Visit the Mercantile

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To you, graduates

To the class of 2018,

Woo! You did it! … Now what? We remember. We were you … ok, sure, many moons ago. It feels like you’re entering “real life” at a time of uncertainty in the world. But you know what? It’s always a time of uncertainty. That’s the only certainty in the world. So we got to thinking about what words of wisdom would have been helpful to us back when we graduated. Sure, you should follow your dreams and #neverquit, but there are some other things that are worth mentioning.

Be kind. It costs nothing, but these days, it seems to be a luxury that most don’t splurge on. A compliment is the cheapest investment with the highest return.

There will come moments in your career where you will find yourself utterly lost, unsure which decision will be the most fruitful. It may sound hokey, but truly, you already know the answer. Tune out the noise and be guided by your principles. When you die, people will remember you for the type of person you were and how you yielded your power when given the opportunity.

Spend time getting your hands dirty.

Actively choose happiness, every day. And if you find it hard to be happy, then make someone else happy.

If you dread going to work most days, make a plan to change where you’re going to work for most of your days.

Don’t feel ashamed to ask for help when you need it. If you’re surrounding yourself with the right people, they want you to succeed. Your true character is revealed when you make yourself vulnerable, and strong souls can admit they are struggling and need assistance.

Put your shoes away. Make your bed. Wipe the crumbs off the counter. Keep your car clean.

Think twice before tweeting/hitting send/posting that picture. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. In three months, do you still want that tied to your name? What about in three years?

You don’t know why your doctor was running late. You don’t know why that cashier was grumpy, or why the person on the phone was rude. Remember that you never know what another person is up against. Empathy is not a virtue; it is a skill we must work hard at.

If you have means to travel, do it. People want you to know more about them and their lives.

If you can provide for yourself and your family, you’ve succeeded. Excess is messy and rarely handled well.

Stay vigilant. Stay passionate. Take your failures and learn from them. Then teach someone else so yours wasn’t in vain. Show compassion to children and listen to the elderly. Learn from those who are differently-abled. Play. Laugh. Never stop learning. Read. Challenge yourself. Never become complacent.

Don’t worry about finding the answers to life. You’ll be lucky if you get the questions right.

And finally: Work Hard. Never Quit. Help your Neighbor.

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The Gift of the Fifth Year

 

Sometimes we hack at each other

Grip that handle and that blade

And swing

 

Aiming for those tender spots

Only lovers know

 

Hoping in that passion-blind moment

That the skin will split

That the blood will flow

 

And after the injury

We gape into the wound

And count the rings

1, 2, 3, 4, 5…

 

The tighter they are

The harder we become

 

And so we bury the hatchet

 

The gift of the fifth year is wood.

 

Each year I write a poem to commemorate our wedding anniversary using the traditional anniversary gift as the inspiration. We worked with Master Woodworker Carl to create a handful of one-of-a-kind wood bowls. If you would like to own one of his pieces, call the Mercantile at 888.801.1802 x3 to purchase it. It is only available at the Mercantile in Sharon Springs.

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Part 6 | Meet the Baby Goats

Let’s talk about the baby goats we’ve featured in our latest goat tote. We normally just select one or two cute kids. This year, we decided to spotlight 38 of them (out of 100s – and it was still hard to choose). Many of you have wondered how Farmer John decides on their names. Well, he starts off with the first letter of the mom’s name and goes from there. He does this to keep track of their lineage. And also – it’s cute. This is Part 6 of a 6 part series. There’s a link at the bottom of the page for the other parts.

If your name is Sadie, Sally (bonus points if you’ve ever met a Harry), Silver, Talia, Tiana, Trina or Tulip then you have a baby goat named after you!

Sadie is telekinetic. She also enjoys popcorn.

Sally‘s favorite musician is Elvis.

Silver is hoping to one day grace the cover of Vogue. Or Better Homes & Gardens.

If Talia could meet any celebrity in real life, it would be Rapunzel’s chameleon sidekick, Paschal.

Tiana is currently overseeing the construction of an eco-friendly luxury spa off the coast of Portugal.

Trina‘s go-to karaoke song is “My Heart Will Go On.”

Tulip actually doesn’t care for flowers.

New

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Bag of Baby Goats Tote









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"Hi Kid, Bye Kid" Onesie









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"Hi Kid, Bye Kid" Child Shirt









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Gentleman Goat Tote in Denim






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Printable B.1802’s Baby Goats Memory Matching Game

Do you remember those old-school memory matching games you would play as a kid, where you would flip over one card, and then a second, in hopes of finding a match? No match meant that you’d have to turn the cards back over while committing both their content and location to memory, while simultaneously paying attention to the newest cards being flipped over. (Wow. Typing that out makes it sound almost as strategic as chess.) Perhaps your kids now play the game, the old school way (paper) or the modern version (on their devices).

When someone from the team that worked on our Bag of Goats Tote bag half-jokingly said, “Hey, we should make one of those memory matching games,” little did she know she would then be responsible for actually making the game. If there’s one thing we don’t joke around about here, it’s goat games.

Step 1: Click on an image below

Step 2: Right-click and select “save image as.” It will save to your selected folder in your computer. Each page is a separate set.

Step 3: Click on the image (where it saved on your computer)

Step 4: Send to print. We recommend printing it on cardstock

Step 5: Cut the individual squares and play!

Step 6: Share with us on social media your photos of you and your kids playing with our Baby Goats Memory Matching Game. Find us on Facebook and Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

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