Earthquakes, Okra, and Other Curiosities

Two days ago the East Coast felt the earth move.
We experienced a 5.8 quake.
I was driving home from town...after a grocery shopping trip.
I felt nothing as I was moving along the highway.
Jenn, my daughter was home at the farm.

She was in her car, ready to leave for work,
when she says she felt what seemed like someone rocking her car.

Now I realize that this is old news,
but the curious thing is this.....


my hens barely laid any eggs that day.


From a group of 50 hens I picked up 8 eggs...
the fewest ever since they started laying.


Curious.

Do you suppose the animals knew it was coming?
Do you suppose the hens chose not to bring "youngins" into 
a potentially chaotic world?  


What do you think is the explanation?

I wonder what this guy thought when the earth beneath his hooves
began to shake!

On a different note, 
I have been trying to use up all of the veggies from our vegetable garden
by either preserving them, freezing them,
or cooking with them.


Okra, okra, okra...
coming out my ears!


I have only used it in soups.
Do you have any ideas for okra?

Another soup that I made was with our butternut squash.
I peeled and cubed two butternut squashes,
cooked them in organic, free range chicken broth
with a chopped onion.
Added about a teaspoon of curry powder, a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper,
a few dashes of turmeric for luscious color (also a strong anti-oxidant).
With an immersion blender, I pureed it all and stirred in a 3 oz cream cheese (cubed).


A little added chicken broth at the end will thin it down a bit, if need be.

All I can say is....
YUMMY!

Comments

Debi said…
I hate that its dark now when I get up, don't you!! Anyway... I think it's the animals "6th sense". They are so much more in tune with nature than we. I wish I had picked up on their cues. Recipe sounds really good. I have little bits of things from the garden now and doing the same as you. Have a terrific Thursday. Deb
KatyDidStitches said…
Hi Bev!

Very curious...about your chickens and the earthquake. Maybe we should do away with the term "birdbrain" and start giving our feathered friends their props!

I can't help you with your okra overload...sorry...I've never cooked with it. In fact, I'm fairly certain that I've never EATEN it! Your squash soup, on the other hand, looks yummy. I'm up for anything with cream cheese!

Kathy
Anonymous said…
I'm sure some, or most of the animals knew it was coming. They feel and hear before we do. Hope you get more eggs than that soon!
Cynthia R. said…
Years ago my MIL fried okra, green tomatoes and onions together. Slice okra, cube tomatoes about 1" and slice onion in half then quarter. Add equal amounts of flour and cornmeal to a bag (I use a Zip-loc). Shake vegetables in flour. Fried covered in a small amount of oil. Medium heat. You may need to add oil as it cooks, but with no oil in pan when it finish cooking. Cook until done with flour and cornmeal brown and crusty.
Gone Country said…
Animals do have keen instincts. I would have to say that getting only 8 eggs that day is not a fluke!

Your soup sounds yummy! Anything with veggies and cream cheese HAS to be good! As far as the okra, we freeze ours whole and then cut them up later to add to soups or fry. I'm still trying to find a good stewed tomatoes & okra recipe but that is one of my favorite ways to eat okra!
Anke said…
Very interesting about your chickens not laying eggs that day...
We love pickled okra. So, so good. If you'd like, I'll send you the recipe. Which I do believe, I actually posted on the blog. Have a great day!
Suzan said…
You have lovely chickens :-}}
Anonymous said…
Oh my goodness! I got almost no eggs on Tuesday either (only 3 when I normally get 8 or more). We live in Maryland and definitely felt the quake but I did not even think there might be a connection with the low egg production. Animals do seem to be able to sense these things in advance.

Cathy
Country Gal said…
Great post and photos ! Animals are the best weather forcasters . When we were on our farm when I was a kid my dad always told me to watch the animals cause they will tell you if we are to get storms or bad weather so yeah I believe they did sence the earth quakes comming ! Have a great day !
Hi Bev!
I didn't realize that you felt that quake that far inland...goodness. I'm sure that's why your hens didn't lay...I bet they felt something before the 'big one' actually hit. Did you see the quake video of the dog in the apartment with the cone on his head? If not you could see he was agitated before the shaking began..I bet the owners saw him agitated long before the ground REALLY shook when they viewed the tape. I've read before that just before a large quake hits that a lot of pets end up running away from home...I'm sure they feel something that we can't feel and it frightens them. Your poor critters were probably wondering what that shaking was all about! I'm glad you never had any damage and your family is all ok.
Maura :)
Unknown said…
Yummy...sounds so good!I eat organic but not the lovely fresh items you use..darn!
Interesting about the eggs, I bet animals are much more sensitive than we are! We have the capability but haven't learned to use it.
Gayle said…
Pickle your okra! It's very good that way. And I second frying it, it's a staple in the south along fried green tomatoes. I slice mine and roll in a mixture of cornmeal and flour, then fry. It's especially good fried with a little bacon fat added to the oil, lard is even better if it's pure lard. I've got it coming on finally in my gardens and I can hardly wait!

Yes! I do think animals have the ability to sense changes in the weather and the earth!
hmmm...makes ya think, huh? I am so glad all is well, though...no help with the okra...we don't have it here:)
Rene
This N That said…
I can't help you with the Okra..not a fan :)Yes, my earth shook as well...It felt as though someone was gently shaking the couch I was lying on..Mollie slept through it...so much for animal intuition...
Stacy said…
I like okra pickled or fried. You can slice it and add to squash and zucchini and onions and mix them with flour and cornmeal and seasonings and fry or just flour and cornmeal okra only and fry. Also, sprinkle the sliced okra w/Tony Chachere seasoning or anything cajun spiced that you like and dehydrate it. Makes a great snack. :)
Linda said…
I love tomatoes, onion and okra slow cooked together and put over rice. Freeze that and it makes a great soup stock.
Unknown said…
I'm with the others on the fried okra. You can go ahead and coat it then freeze on cookie sheets and put the coated okra into bags to fry later. Okra tends to be a little droopy after it comes out of the freezer so isn't so easy to bread then.
Dianne said…
Southern fried okra! Makes me homesick...