My small red mortar and pestle set is made of enameled cast iron with an unglazed interior. My larger English clay set is unglazed for good grit when pounding ingredients. Both are heavy and sturdy.

Tools and techniques, part 3: Between a rock and a hard place

First We Eat: Pounding ingredients with a pestle encourages a calm approach to cooking

My mom tells me my counters are too cluttered. “Why don’t you put some of that stuff away?” she asks me repeatedly. Much of the counter space in my old farmhouse kitchen is occupied by electric tools designed to grind foods or to alter their shape: a food processor, blender and coffee mill stand shoulder […] Read more



Cattle grazing on a range infested with velvet lupine in eastern Washington state. Producers will want to know in advance about any potentially hazardous plant life before turning cattle out on unfamiliar land.

Prevention and responsibility can be shared

Animal Health: Crop growers and cattle producers can benefit by working together

In writing for the past several years for Grainews it was nice trying to create articles that had application to the cattle, grain and mixed farmers out there. Better long-term solutions are created by looking from both sides of the fence at a problem. These create win-win situations, where both sides of a deal, trade […] Read more

Gregory and his mare, Reba, go around the cows as we round them up to sort their calves off to take to market or take home for weaning.

Good weather holds through harvest

Eppich News: Wandering cows and calves made rounding them up a challengee

On Sept. 30, Gregory drove John and Barb to Saskatoon because Barb was experiencing severe pain in her side. She’s had trouble with her gall bladder for quite a while, but this time it was too much. She was supposed to have emergency surgery that day but ended up being pushed off until the next […] Read more