I know you are quite busy- so here’s a little update… our blog has a new name “farmer & maker.” This name perfectly reflects who we are, have always been and hope to be someday. Simply said, we love to make things – and we love to grow things (food, cows, business ideas, kids).

In some ways this is our inheritance- the fortune to live out our passions. We have been provided with the skills, confidence and support to pursue “crazy” ideas like making sculpture with junk metal.  And, yes… we happen to have more crazy ideas – like writing a book, growing our dairy herd and making cheese on our hilltop.

We had a little idea about 9 years ago, it’s summarized like this… Gatski Co. -  Art, Food & Experience. The making of metal sculptures and metal tables is just the beginning. The rest is slowly unfolding – but will most likely involve cows and food. Each week we are taking a few minutes to plan; it is extraordinarily exciting!

We hope you will join us as we mosey along -  a comment, a thought, a contact. With that said… here’s a Hearty Welcome to farmer & maker! We’re looking forward to meeting you here.

Here’s how it came to me, Kate of Kitchen at Camont passed along a message from The School of Artisan Food – which I had never heard of.  It sounds absolutely fascinating. You should have a look – maybe we should go someday?

For some, this idea of “full throttle” livin’ is quite literal. Meet the tractor pullers.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tractor pulling is a sport where souped up tractors pull a heavy “sled.” The tractor that pulls the sled the farthest wins. One of our former employees is an avid tractor puller. We’ve been known to enjoy a little noise, dirt, smoke and horsepower ourselves.

This is my first ever video. I’m practicing to videotape Ben taking the torches to our pickup truck. Stay Tuned.

As the warmth of spring reaches deep into the ground and air; grasses grow and insects emerge. There is food everywhere; for a pig, that is.  A little time spent watching a pig [or an animal for that matter] gives one a feel for their instincts. Pigs have snouts and they want to use them.

They put them down and sniff, root and dig with them. Most remarkable is the rooting and digging, the turning over of the soil. They will create large, crater like depressions in the soil- large expansive areas of dug up dirt. They are looking for tasty treats to eat- bugs, acorns and other tree fruits.

This pig is a Duroc cross- we typically raise all Berkshire pigs.  This one slipped into our last batch- a lovely looking pig but an anomaly up here on Gatski Mt. We established our home and shop on woodlot adjacent to the family farm. It had been recently logged. It is ideal for our pigs.

There is something utterly captivating about watching animals do what they’re instinctively meant to do. Probably because we all know that instincts lead to the richest things in life. For these pigs- its scarfing down nuts from the trees, absorbing the sunshine on their backs, and letting the warm rain wash over them.

This is terroir. As you know I’m looking forward to exploring terroir here on my blog. This morning, I realized how important the role of instincts are in making something rich, flavorful and beautiful. How do you let your instincts guide you?

It’s not just the cows eating green again, we will soon be too. We all know how strong spinach makes us. Here’s a few tips on planting spinach..

• get ready to plant as soon as the ground can be worked, here in Pennsylvania that’s now!
• loosen the soil with a shovel or digging fork [find a sunny spot]
• use a hoe to make a straight row [or you can really scatter them in a small bed too]
• sew your spinach seeds and cover about 1/2 inch deep
• when the plants are about 1″ tall, you can then to 2-4 inches apart

That’s it! The fun thing about planting your own vegetables is that there are no rules. All you need is a sunny spot and some soil. If you’re just not into the dirt- you can find delicious spinach grown close to you at Local Harvest.

Our spinach is coming along nicely, but this is not ours. The photo above it is our fields in their current state of green.

Head on over to the Good Measure Blog for my guest post on How to Grow Your Own Garlic.

Photo Credit:  elvisripley

Today I’m thrilled to share the beauty and bounty of Forks Farm. Forks Farm [owned by the Hopkins family] is nestled in the hills of Northern Pennsylvania. Although the setting is calm and tranquil- the farm is nothing but bustle. Forks Farm produces pastured poultry, grass fed beef and lamb and woodlot pork. They host a bountiful market where local farmers come to sell their fresh meats, raw dairy, breads, produce and more! True delight.

It doesn’t stop there. Forks Farm is not only your one stop shop for flavor, it is the place to learn about sustainable agriculture.  The Hopkins of Forks Farm are innovators and leaders; In a subtle and generous way they help many people understand the importance of healthy farms and healthy foods. Bravo! I recommend becoming a fan of Forks Farm or a follow on twitter. Stay up to date on what’s happening on their farm- it’s well worth a day trip.

Welcome to the first installment of Friends In Boots! You must be up to something when you’re wearing barn boots, right? Farming, fishing, making cheese or maybe just standing around talking. Whatever the case, there’s a story to tell.  First boots,  friends and neighbors… Steve and Jenn Kurian of Wild For Salmon.

This past weekend we got together with Steve and Jenn and did some butchering [it's a bit of a hobby]. We share a love for food from somewhere we’ve been or can easily imagine.  Steve and Jenn travel to Alaska every year to harvest wild salmon for customers all across the mid-Atlantic states. They endure all kinds of crazy conditions on the Alaskan waters, ship the salmon east and then peddle it at small farmers markets.

They are pioneers in almost every way. They are incredibly hearty people with enough skills to survive the wilderness of well, Alaska. We have alot of admiration for their work bringing fresh, wild and delicious salmon back to the plates of Pennsylvania.

Photo courtesy of Tom Curtis.

Indeed! It is possible. Get started with some seeds and a set of our brand new Silver Spoon Garden Markers!

Or not. Fear not my dear reader [and cheesemaker]. Cheesemaking can be simple – and utterly rewarding. Have a sneak peak at our latest offering on The Steel Fork! It is a “Make your own fresh Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheese Kit.” Fabulous!

Just add a gallon of milk and in one hour you will be eating and sharing your very own fresh mozzarella or ricotta!  Each kit makes 10 batches of cheese (a batch is about 1 1/2 lb.)

No need to rush out and buy an organic dairy farm! You can use regular pasteurized milk from the grocery store as long as it is not ultra pasteurized or ultra-heat pasteurized.

Look for these cheese kits and other fabulous new goods on The Steel Fork January 27th.  They are only $23! Email me to reserve yours now!

If you need a little encouragement, have a look at this hip & snappy “How to Make Fresh Mozarella” video [it's inspirational, not instructional]. I loved it.

These are some of our strong attributes, shared amongst various members.

1. a strong affection for machinery- new and old [you probably could have guessed this one]

2. pleasure in food and flavor… for some butchering [there are direct family roots to that]

3. a passion for finding treasure in strange places

4. desire to design and create

That ought to give you the idea. We aren’t alone. Our family has had a significant impact on our work. Some of them very directly, by creating for The Steel Fork. We’re so happy to bring forward this representation of us.