Coffee Break

 

 

 

 

What do you say, we just have a quick chat today. I have a lot of stuff that needs done, but my head is reeling and I need to get some thoughts moved on, so I can focus. 

 

So, yesterday I shared a short video about loving yourself. I have struggled with this most of my life. Never feeling good enough. The one thing my 40's brought me, was a change in those thoughts. I know that each of us is made to perfection, by a great creator, that doesn't make mistakes. As my youngest child reminds me regularly, we are never going to be perfect...only God is. So, why do we strive to appear that way? To keep up with others? Have we become so superficial? When did it become so acceptable to judge everyone else, when no one is ever going to be perfect? Why do we let others make us feel less than? So, as I'm looking at "50" in just over a hundred days, it has occurred to me - in the last few months,  why do I care what anyone else thinks? I really don't. That is the reality of it. I am not perfect, I stress out, I let my heart lead me into too many chances for people, I am not a surface person - I want substance. I root for the underdog every time, help others until I can't help anymore, I defend people even when they treat/talk poorly of me, and I believe karma will bite people who deserve it. My house is usually a mess and it annoys me, but not enough to kill myself trying to live in a museum. I built a beautiful 8' long table, that is usually half full and stacked with paperwork...so you can't see it. Our dining room table is used - for eating, for schooling, for planning, for organizing, for farm notes/paperwork; it's basically my office. The stories this table could tell, if it could talk. Anyway, the last few months, have been slowly brought acceptance. Accepting my flaws physically, mentally, and everything in between. I have become more and more accepting of who I am. The good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty sides. It's become really liberating. 

Most people who know me, know my favorite holiday is Christmas. With so much family drama the last couple of years, I really haven't enjoyed it. Which is sad, I know. I typically went all out for Christmas. It takes about 6 weeks to get all my decorations out, and up. I put lights outside in October, so I don't have to do it in snow or freezing temps, and start decorating on Halloween(which I truly dislike!). The last few years, I have not even put all the decor out. A couple months ago, I had decided to not to have our annual open house anymore. I had lost so many goodwill feelings. Well, I still have a child at home, and that child is pretty amazing. Obviously, both of my kids are the greatest...but this youngest one - boy is she a force. When she came to the table for lessons one day a few weeks ago, sharing cookie and candy recipes for the open house, and the fireball response when I said I didn't think we would have one this year...WOW! Initially, she was mad. Then, this 15 year old child, went into a 30 year old counselor. "Ok Mom, what's the deal? You love Christmas, you love the open house, you made our house look like Christmas threw up on it every year I can remember, and you have been slowing down - this isn't you. What the hell is wrong with you?" Yep, this is my spitfire AND her personality. "Kid" answers have never worked for her. So, I gave her some glossed over explanations and that did not fly. She called B.S. in no uncertain terms. Very long story(like 3 hours worth) short, there will be an open house and every decoration is going up - somewhere. 

It's been really amazing with my kids. I had my oldest, as an only child, for 8 years before my youngest was born. So, it feels like I am raising 2 only children. It's incredible how different the kids personalities are, yet how alike they are. My oldest was much like my youngest when he was younger. Now, he has become a responsible, hardworking young man. Getting to be a full-time mom, allowed me the luxury of knowing my children, their quirks, their learning styles, their communication styles, and the tell-tails when they weren't being honest. It's been difficult, in the sense, that for most of 24 years...I have only had the identity of Mom, or Richard's wife. Whatever. I have never needed much recognition, but it's easy to get lost in the daily grinds. Each of my kids have so many attributes that they are slowly going to learn and recognize; ones that I have seen in them from the beginning. They will also have to learn to accept their flaws. The one area that I have tried to instill, is loving who they are without comparing themselves to anyone else. That's tough in a world of false images, materialism and pressure from peers. Having to accept that I am raising good, strong young people, and allowing them to spread their wings...is one of the hardest successes as a Mom. I want them to take the path beside but I also want them to go further than I have been able  to. I am so proud of my kids and mostly who they are...sometimes their personalities are enough like their Momma, that we hit heads. 

So, I think my thoughts are slowing a bit. It's time to get more tomatoes canned up, get some laundry done, get some housework done, and get through today's math lessons. Lots to get ready for in the coming week! Have a blessed day!!

2024 Veteran Hunt Information

 

The 2024 Disabled Veteran Deer Hunt is quickly approaching. I was introduced to positive effects an event like this for our veterans, just over 7 years ago. The impact of nature in my own life is beyond description. When you are able to see the physical and psychological impact of bringing a veteran outdoors for the first time, to return them to nature after mental health and physical challenges, or to help them return to the timber with a buddy; it changes you. The complete rehabilitative effects of nature and camaraderie are immeasurable. I have always held our soldiers and veterans in the highest regard.  

Let's begin with a little about our family. 

Our family has a small farm in extreme Northeast Missouri. As a family, we have built this farm into a functioning and operational sheep and hay farm. We live where we host this event. My husband, Richard, handles maintaining connections with the landowners, in Iowa and Missouri, that donate their farms for use. He is also the master smoker and griller. Our Son Joey and his wife Laura, have their own cattle operation as well as helping on the family farm. Joey helps with the Missouri hunters, Laura helps with food, photography, and farm needs during the hunt. Our daughter Chloe, is my side kick in every aspect of organizing, planning, fundraising, and every other management function. Our bonus son Marcus and his girlfriend Aaron, help every where they can. I am Salli...I have been a stay-at-home mom for 20 years, home schooled my children, and found my passion in helping our nations veterans.

 

While we do not hold to a strict schedule, we do have guide to make sure our Veteran guests continue to have a premiere, top-tiered weekend. Our veteran hunt, is centered around our veteran guests. This veteran hunt has grown, that has now required interested veterans to enter into a raffle. To allow this hunt to remain personable, we limit the attendees to 8-10 veterans, based on lodging availability. We have been fortunate to have local lodging just 4 miles from our farm. Each lodge room contains 2 queen beds, a bathroom and a kitchenette. The entire lodge only offers 6 rooms, which we book every one of them each year, for this hunt. The rooms are clean and well maintained, and are handicap accessible. 

This event begins on Thursday, September 26th. This is the kickoff. All the veterans arrive, lodge check in is at 3 pm. To allow time for getting tags, we try to get everyone to their respective state by 4:30. Thursday evening is pizza night. We get several different flavors to try to cover everyone's taste. We try to eat by 6 pm. 7 pm, there will be a mandatory safety, regulation and rules meeting, that will also include determining who will be fishing on Friday morning. As with every portion of the weekend, if you want to sleep in, hang out, fish or hunt...it's your weekend. 

Friday, September 27th - I will have breakfast ready by 7am. This year we will have breakfast burritos, sausage biscuits and cinnamon rolls, coffee, milk and juice. Lunch menu will be vegetable soup, sandwiches, chips, and a dessert. This is also the evening of the meet & greet. This is opened to our community members and sponsors. We encourage all to attend, even if they choose not to, we welcome them. Our favorite DJ, P.T. Woods, Outlaw DJ, will be spinning music for us. The evening menu - pulled pork, lasagna(donated by Jim & Heather Sheets), green beans with bacon, lettuce salad, cheesy potatoes, pasta salad, dessert(donated by Janet Meek & Kody's Creation). We will have water, soda, and sweet tea readily available all day. The meet & greet, will begin with the playing of God Bless the USA, the National Anthem, and prayer. We try to begin by 7 pm.

Saturday, September 28th - Breakfast will be ready by 7am. Breakfast menu will be the same as Friday. Lunch menu will also be chili soup, sandwiches, chips and a dessert. The bonfire will be going in the afternoon and into the evening. The evening menu - Burgers and brats (donated by Kahoka Meat Processing), baked beans, macaroni & cheese(donated by Jim & Heather Sheets), pea salad and dessert(donated by Janet Meek & Kody's Creation). 

Sunday, September 29th - Breakfast will be ready around 7 am. Breakfast menu will be sausage gravy & biscuits, coffee, milk and juice. Lodge check out is 11 am. We will have a lunch of left overs; soup, sandwiches, chips and dessert. Many of our veterans have to leave early on Sunday to head back home, but those that want to stay, are welcome to hunt the afternoon too. 

As I have previously stated, we do not keep to a strict schedule. We encourage our veteran guests to relax, enjoy their weekend, and they determine how best to achieve that. Each of our veteran guests become an extension of our family, even beyond the veteran hunt. We have been honored to have some of our guests return - as hunters and volunteers. Chloe and I work hard all year to make this event the best possible. We have some amazing helpers - Richard, Joey, Laura, Marcus, Aaron, Janet, Slate, and Jerry; all have shared their strengths to help with this event. We have been fortunate to work with 2 separate 501 C3 groups over the years - Wake Foundation and True Impact Outdoors. Our landowners that have donated their land - Nick & Nancy Orphan, Lee & David Shultz, Junior & Linda Bertram, Andy Shilt, and Mark Sieb. We strive to shop and utilize local businesses whenever possible.

It takes the strength and efforts of everyone involved to make sure we are able to keep this event moving forward. We are excited to welcome our 2024 Veterans & Guests. Be sure to watch our Bowen Family Farm Facebook page, as we spotlight each of this year's Veterans.

Coffee Chat and Updates

 

What a first week of September this has been. With just 19 days until the kick off of this year's veteran hunt...I am kind of beside myself trying to finalize everything. It's been such a chaotic time, most of the year...September has snuck up on me. I have battled a lot of disappointments this year, with lack of communication, being a huge struggle. It's strange to me that others don't see the importance of it. 

Anyway, we have gotten some new shirts for our event this year. The entire order was a mess, but we'll deal with it. What was supposed to be a small run - meant to make sure everything printed as we wanted, for the veterans and volunteers...with a bigger order later in the month, and t-shirts in 2 colors...turned into the entire order at once, the graphic in the wrong place, and only a single color. Very disappointing and very costly for not being correct. The "answer" to fix it was a re-run, waiting for another two weeks, and having to pay for the cost of the shirts but not the printing...and keeping what we already had. Still not sure how that solution fixed the problem, but was going to cost even more. Whatever. I will make this work for now. So, we do have the shirts, they look really sharp, and I have lots of sizes from Medium thru 4XL. We got a few sweatshirts also. I will be setting up again this year, at the Villages of Van Buren, Scenic Drive Festival in the old school at Bonaparte, IA, during the gun show. The raffles and the shirts are fundraisers that allow us to continue hosting the veteran hunt every year. 

I have decided to make some changes to our veteran event, beginning next year. This year marks 6 years, that we have hosted this event...with very few changes. I strive to keep this hunt personable, relaxed and beneficial to the veterans. I will be keeping the number of veteran attendees to under 10, because once you go above that, it becomes too big to be managed efficiently by one person. We have struggled for a few years to get volunteers to help in the field - driving the veterans to the blinds, field dressing the deer, helping get veterans to and from the ponds for fishing. I will be reworking the donation/sponsorship/partnership options for 2025. I am hoping that 2025 will return some more acceptable level of costs; that we have battled with for 3 years now. I have a long list of notes to review for 2025, and I'm certain a lot more will be added before the end of September. October 1st, will begin the planning for the 2025 event. 

Allergies have taken ahold of my household this year. Every single one of us is battling them. After talking to several others, it seems allergies have become a real problem for a lot of people. When I woke up this morning, it was 43 degree!! I turned off the air and started opening windows. It is time for some fresh air. We aren't even supposed to break 70 today, so it's a great day for open windows and some deep cleaning. It seems we go from heat to air, then back to heat again...without much opportunity to open windows and allow some un-stagnant air in. It is so peaceful to hear the chickens and ducks instead of the noise from the air. 

Have a great weekend!

Sept. 2nd updates

 

Sept. 2nd, a new month has begun. It's been a busy and productive weekend around here, but also included a few hours meant to relax. We are in full winterizing mode and preparation. It's hard to believe we have about 2 months to be fully ready for Winter. For the most part, this is now innately done, since we have done this for so many years. It doesn't make it any less crazy, when so much is based on the whim of Mother Nature, and her bipolar behaviors. So, Labor Day Weekend, has been spent laboring. 

After 2 years with a leaky hydrant, it has finally been replaced! No more handle freezing because it was leaking out the handle. So, that included borrowing a mini ho, digging up the old hydrant, setting new the new one, adding new rock around the drain hole at the bottom, resetting and back filling. My husband and son made quick work of getting that project knocked out. The new one works, as it should!  They also fixed the main water shut off under the house that was ready to blow out. The location of that shut off, is directly under my daughters bedroom, so if that had failed...it would have been a complete disaster! Now, there's a new shut off, hopefully this one will last another 13 years! 

While the guys were working on that stuff, I started trimming trees, cleaning up a few areas of landscape, and did some mowing. I worked on more tree trimming and gardening yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised to find some tomatoes and green beans that were ready. There really hasn't been much to harvest before now. I made the decision that our main garden is being reseeded and will be resting for a year or two. The harvests the last couple of years have been pretty weak, and I just don't need as much as I once did. I will always garden in one form or fashion, since I truly love it, but I no longer need to feed large amounts of people, and really...I just want to have enough for my family, and actually enjoy it again. I put so many expectations on myself, that I end up overwhelmed, and I am a horrible critic of myself! 

Last night, I decided we were all going to slow down and relax. I decided I wanted a bonfire. No hoopla, no big gathering...just us and the kids. While I was disappointed that all but me, spent most of the time on their phones...it was still relaxing. Looking up at the stars, cooking nasty hot dogs on the fire, seeing the milky way, shooting stars, watching the bats, just relaxation. I haven't dealt with my phone much the entire weekend. Didn't take many pictures, and didn't even have it close most of the time. It's so easy to get tethered to electronics. It has been a hugely beneficial break. 

I have taken this morning to relax a little more. It's almost time to start getting more done, but you know - everything is still going to be there, when I get to it! Except maybe the garden produce. It's a little more time sensitive. Anyway, I have a few things in the back garden, and once it's empty, it will be turned back over to the chickens and ducks. There's cabbage back there that needs cut, sweet onions, and potatoes to dig, and hopefully some peppers. I've decided to try a new sauerkraut recipe, and keep some leaves for cabbage rolls. This week has a lot of must do things, and I'm going to work at it until it's all done. Canning pasta sauce, making kraut, freezing beans, fundraising for the veteran hunt, and the regular stuff - laundry, cleaning, and school. 

As of today, we have 24 days until the 2024 Veteran Hunt begins. I'm really excited, as I am every year. It's one of events I look forward to each year. It's a lot of work!! However, when you watch it all come together, it's beyond worth it! I have been honored to meet so many incredible people. The veterans this year, are coming from Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee and Louisiana. We still have some raffle tickets available, and are needing about 3 volunteers to help in the field. I believe I have plenty of help at the farm this year. We are still wanting to fill a few sponsorships for this year, since many of the prices have gone up, and we've had a few more unexpected expenses. 

As I head out for today, I hope you have all had a safe and enjoyable weekend. I hope September brings each of you the rest, and peace, that I believe we all need. God Bless!