Microbiology Pathology Lab - U of M

Our second trip to U of M today was with our 4H Vet Science club. We were invited to a special lecture/lab with Dr. Gordon. The kids got to learn a little about tissue pathology and then used microscopes to look at lung, heart and skin tissue. Each slide was then reviewed, in detail, by Dr. Gordon about the abnormalities on the slide. It was very I N T E R E S T I N G!!! Come take a look with us.

Studious boy :)
Dr. Gordon
Class of 4H Vet Science Members (and some students from an Ypsi group)
Melenoma cells
4H Vet Science Group

Taste Of Asia - Stearns Music

Today we got to enjoy two wonderful (and very different) educational opportunities at the University of Michigan. We got to study World Cultures and Arts at the music school and micropathology at the medical school. We are so fortunate and will truly miss UofM when we move to IL!! Come on along on our Asian trip

Percussion session in the Gamelean Room. We learned about the Lion Dance and the gong and drum music that goes along with the Lion Dance. We participated in a music machine and made our own version of music using the pot lids and beaters and keys that we brought along with us. And B even got his STOMP experience working into the discussion.

Looking for instruments that match our Chinese writing lesson.

The second half of our visit was a focus on Chinese Opera. We learned about the characters, colors on masks and the fact that the mask/costumes and music are really what defines what is going on on the stage.

Then some of our students were transformed!!


And who might this be?

Today we got to enjoy two wonderful (and very different) educational opportunities at the University of Michigan. We got to study World Cultures and Arts at the music school and micropathology at the medical school. We are so fortunate and will truly miss UofM when we move to IL!!

Michigan Great Lakes International Draft Horse Show

We ventured to MSU Pavillion today (and our friends who we used to do so many wonderful things with in Lansing crossed our minds). We visited MSU for the Michigan Great Lake International Draft Horse Show. B is more convinced than ever that we should get him a pair of draft mules, so he can start training for pulling and riding!!! Since it wasn't long ago, you may remember on previous blog posts, we have recently seen a draft horse pulling contest. And during a farm tour we saw a 6 hitch team of belgian horses. At this event there are TONS of classes, from dynomometer pulling, to wagon pulling, to plowing events, etc. B really wanted to see the big teams work and then the heavy weight draft teams pulling.

Our evening of viewing began with the unicorn hitch of belgians. Unicorn meaning 3 horses and the front hitched horse is a single horse (versus double in other classes), followed by a double hitch of horses. Below is the winning hitch for this belgian unicorn wagon hitch class. (for more on unicorn hitch you can visit http://www.ruralheritage.com/reading_room/dictionary.htm, and click on the U)

Beautiful percheron in the unicorn position, waiting to enter the ring.
Here is the 6 horse hitch of Belgian horses that we saw when we went on the farm tours in Grass Lake in September. They ended up 5th in their class.
This is a 6 mule hitch. Not draft mules like B wants, just regular size mules.
B wanted to see the 6 and 8 horse hitching teams work. And he was NOT disappointed when the 8 horse teams entered the ring. Due to the length of the teams and wagons, they had to judge 3 teams, then they left the arena and the last 2 teams came in. This was a team of Clydesdales. This team won the 8 team class.

8 horse hitch of belgians.
Another 8 horse hitch of belgians.
3 of the 5 teams in the 8 horse hitch class.
All 5 of the teams in the 8 horse hitch class. It was pretty awesome to see all these teams together in one arena!!!! I, too, was not disappointed!!!
Earlier in the day they had outdoor plowing and field events. We didn't get an opportunity to watch these. But this team is the winning seated plowing team. And it's owner was named 2007 Plowman of the year (he is not pictured, but the lady standing with the team won 2nd in her class).

And the Pièce de résistance of the evening. PULLING!!!!
There were a total of 21 heavy weight teams. We're talking BIG teams. Most were between 4700 and 5800 pounds.
After the 2nd round of pulling, at 3800, about 10 teams were out. Unfortunately, it was 10:30 and we still needed to drive home. So we ended up not being able to see who won. But we were, again, amazed at the power of these horses. B has not waivered in his want to become a "teamster."

Cranberry Fields Forever

I am sure in 1967 if the Beatles knew about cranberry bogs, the lyrics of their song, "Strawberry Fields Forever" may have been different :) It might have went something like this:


Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to Cranberry Bogs.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Cranberry Bogs forever.


Today we went to South Haven, Michigan for the Cranberry Harvest Festival at DeGrandchamp Farms.



Young cranberry plants, which are generally planted in June. At full growth, the plants are only about 6-8 high, but very dense. They are vine types plants, so runners off the main plant will produce more plants. Plants will produce for approximately 7 years.


Cranberry fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Ericales
Family:Ericaceae
Genus:Vaccinium
Subgenus:Oxycoccus
Species: Vaccinium erythrocarpum, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Vaccinium microcarpum, Vaccinium oxycoccus





Unflooded cranberry bog.
Flooded cranberry bog.
Cranberries under the water, still attached to the plants, waiting for the wet harvest.

Wet harvest tractor. Yes, they drive this right out into the water.
Havest begins.
This is what happens after just one swipe down the bog.
Once the tractor does it's job, the bog workers have to "clean up" the edges of the bog to get the berries that the tractor can't get.

The inside of a cranberry is hollow, which makes it bouyant and helps the harvest process.
This bog is going to be dry harvested. They dry harvest part of the crop because it allows us to store the cranberries for further use (like Thanksgiving and Christmas). In this bog, they will use a machine that they walk behind to harvest the berries. This field will not be flooded.
Dry harvest machine.
Front of dry harvester.
Cranberry bog waiting for dry harvest.

Sorting and packing facility.

Apple Picking - Fall Fun

Fall in Michigan in my favorite time of year. Today we went to Spicer Orchards with another family. We picked apples and raspberries. The apple picking went VERY quickly. I think we picked 3 bushels of apples in about 15 minutes. We picked to make applesauce this weekend. Three bushels will give us about 50 quarts of canned applesauce (we ended up getting 53 quarts). We picked Ida Reds, Yellow Delicious, and Mutsu apples. We had never had Mutsu apples and they ended up being our favorite variety.

The raspberries were at the end of their season, so we ended up only getting 2 quarts. That was enough for 1 batch of jam (7 jars) and dinner. Even though there were only a few berries, they were yummy!!!!

In the farm market we also bought pears, maple syryp candy and apple butter. It was a beautiful weather day, and with the company of friends it was a terrific field trip!

Emeril Helps With World Cultures

Again last night, we made another recipe out of Emeril's book, "There's a Chef In My World!" This time we tried the Sesame Peanut Noodle Salad. Our only regret is we only made a 1/2 recipe. We wish we would have made the entire recipe!!! Yum, yum, good!!! Emeril has certainly 'enriched' our World Cultures studies in China.