May is usually my favorite month of the year because it's really spring time, grass is growing, the trees are leaved out, we are planting and it's just a beautiful month.  

April is my 2nd favorite just because we know any snow that happens won't be here long, the grass greens up fast, and the birds are singing no matter the weather.  

We have another great run of the maple season right now.  We had an early run the end of February and the peak is right now.   We have now bottled more than last year and set to likely double what we did last year.  Wooohhoooo!     We now have 12 oz glass jugs, quart glass jars, quart plastic, 1/2 gallon jugs, 8 oz and 3 oz jugs.  All sizes and the plastic jugs are great for shipping to loved ones.    All are discounted $1 this week while we are still boiling.   

I started things in the greenhouse yesterday, about a week late but a bout of bronchitis slowed me down.   It's better but a wake up call that March is always a tough month to get through and I didn't take care as I should.   TIme to slow down and breath deeply.  

The ground is thawed and everywhere is a muddy mess.  Once it dries up we'll be plowing to break ground for the gardens and get some early items in like spinach, kale, carrots, scallions, peas and so on.    Pussy willows have popped out and wild leeks won't be long behind.   

April is a good month for stews and bone broth.    Letting the slow cooker, dutch oven or instant pot do the work for you.    Our beef bone stash is slowly dwindling so if you need them come get them this weekend before we are out until July.   Remember to save all your bones from any pork, beef or chicken and make stock for soups and stews or just sipping.   

I found that cooking with homemade bone broth is so delicious and rejunating to my joints.   My bone density tests are always excellent and I never take supplements.   

Eating good food nourishes your body and can eliminate the need for pricy supplements and medications.   Make the change and if you already have, then work on others.    It's tough to see women my age having broken bones that won't heal and taking expensive supplements only to find they are still low in calcium and iron.   You can do so much to  improve that by simple steps like nutrient dense meats.    Red meat always gets a bad rap only because testing is done on conventional low quality grain fed, confined animals.  

Not only will the meat taste better, you'll feel better, you'll feel satisfied and I can honestly say my bones are strong and my joints doing great.   

Enjoy what you eat and stop the fads, the quick cures, the no gluten junk, cut back on sugar and put some hardiness back in your day.    Your body can't absorb nutrients from vegetables as well as it can from good quality forage based meats, plus those meats have things you have to have for your brain to function at it's best.      

Save a farm, save the land, save your bones, eat some good meat and enjoy it.