>> Funding for "Welcome to My Farm" has been provided by Manna Pro... ♪♪ >> As much as we count on them... >> They count on us all the more... >> To nurture their lives... >> With the same commitment... >> Together: Manna Pro -- Nurturing life.

>> ...Meyer Hatchery... >> Meyer Hatchery offers more than 160 breeds of poultry and carries a full line of feed, supplies, gifts and decor.

With nearly four decades of experience, the Meyer family is committed to supporting our customers through their entire poultry journey.

Learn more at MeyerHatchery.com.

>> ...and Grubbly Farms.

>> Grubbly Farms -- sustainable feed and treats made with grubs.

Find out more at GrubblyFarms.com.

>> And Horizon Structures -- Delivered fully assembled and ready for same-day use.

♪♪ [ Rooster crows ] >> I'm Lisa Steele, author and fifth-generation chicken keeper.

I live in rural Maine with my husband, flock of chickens, ducks, geese, and Winston the Corgi.

We moved to Maine for the peace, serenity, and a simpler life.

Join me as I explore this beautiful state and experience all it has to offer.

Welcome to my farm.

[ Chickens clucking ] ♪♪ People ask me why we moved to Maine, and this is exactly why we moved to Maine.

We're on a frozen lake, it's snowing, and we're gonna go ice fishing When there's snow on the ground for so much of the year, you learn to love outdoor sports like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and of course, ice fishing.

I've only been once, so my friend is coming over to give me a quick lesson.

And then we're gonna see if we can catch some fish.

How's your latte?

>> Oh, so good.

Ah!

Delicious.

>> I'm so glad.

I'm gonna whip up some omelets before we go out so we're not fishing on empty stomachs.

>> Please not.

>> I think it'll be really good.

>> Some smoked salmon or...?

>> Yes.

>> Awesome.

>> So, I'm making sort of a take on a lox and cream cheese bagel, but instead of the bagel, we're making an omelet.

So, smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onion.

>> Delicious.

>> Mm-hmm, I think it'll be good.

>> Oh, that is dill.

>> I think it'll be good.

In case we don't catch any fish.

>> Don't say that.

Why would you say that?

Don't put that out there.

We're gonna catch all the fish that we can possibly catch.

We're gonna catch our bag limit.

>> We're not gonna catch salmon, though.

>> Oh, we could.

Absolutely.

There's landlocked salmon in here.

>> So, that smoked salmon comes from ocean... >> Right.

Yeah.

>> ...salmon, okay?

And this is a freshwater lake.

>> Yep, two completely different salmon, not your ocean salmon.

It's all landlocked in here.

>> And is it still pink?

>> No.

No, actually.

Fun fact -- it is more of a whitefish, and it tastes absolutely delicious.

>> Alright, we'll catch a salmon then.

>> Yes, that's the attitude.

Please.

>> Alright, so, the butter is all bubbly.

I'm gonna make two two-egg omelets for us.

>> Mmm.

>> And the key is, obviously, a very shallow, very light pan that you can, you know, handle it with one hand and just kind of keep the egg moving.

It cooks really, really fast.

>> I see that.

Salted or unsalted butter?

>> I did use unsalted butter, so I probably should add a little bit of salt... >> Yeah.

>> ...to the omelet.

>> Get that flavor.

>> And a little bit of pepper.

So, are your chickens laying yet?

>> Yes!

They were sadly only giving us about one, maybe two, if we were lucky this, like, hard time of the winter, but now that we've got some more daylight, it's more like five to six?

>> Nice.

>> So, keep it coming.

>> Yeah, ours started up, too.

>> Good.

>> It always surprises me.

Like, I check the boxes and check the boxes and then I give up 'cause it's winter.

And then all of a sudden one day I look in the box and there's an egg and it's just -- >> It's Christmas all over again.

[ Laughs ] >> Spring is on the way.

So, the omelet cooks really fast, so I'm just gonna put some cream cheese... >> Mmm.

>> ...as my cheese.

I'm not gonna add other cheese to it.

>> Probably for the best.

>> Yeah.

>> [ Laughs ] >> And then some red onion, some smoked salmon, some capers, which I love.

They're, like, so salty, briny, like really nice.

>> Delicious.

>> Really nice texture.

And then I'm just gonna fold over, glide it onto the plate, and then I'm just gonna put a little bit more capers, a little more red onion... >> Ah, beautiful color.

>> ...and fresh dill because who doesn't love fresh dill?

>> Yum!

>> Yay!

>> Ah!

That smells delicious.

♪♪ ♪♪ Mmm!

>> What do you think?

You ready to go fishing?

>> Let's go catch some fish.

Oh!

Yum.

>> Let's go.

♪♪ > Get the box.

The barrel.

>> Alright.

You go right ahead.

>> Ready to go?

>> I'll be right behind you.

>> Okay.

>> Alright.

♪♪ >> So, about how far from the first hole?

>> Oh, not far.

I mean, 25 feet?

>> Okay.

>> Alright, let's do this.

[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ >> So cool.

Now, what is this called that you're drilling the hole with?

>> So, this is an ice auger.

>> Okay.

>> And this is -- It's actually electric.

They do make gas-powered ones, as well, but they're much heavier than this.

Now, these ones are great.

So, this is gonna create a 10-inch hole.

>> Okay.

>> And we're almost...

There we go.

So, we'll just reverse that to push some of that down.

>> Nice.

Ohh.

>> Then let's clear some of this out of the way, Lisa.

Now let me push some more of it down with the auger.

>> Okay.

>> Make it a little easier to spoon out.

And you got your spoon.

You can go ahead and start digging that out.

>> So, how deep or how thick do you think this ice?

>> Well, let's find out.

I've got a measuring stick on my spoon here.

>> Oh, and you just, like, latch it to the bottom of the ice?

>> Yeah.

>> So cool.

>> It came to here, so that's gonna to be about 17 inches.

>> And how thick does the ice have to be to make it safe to walk on the lake?

>> I wait till there's a good, you know, 6 to 10.

>> Fish soup.

>> [ Laughs ] ♪♪ Okay, so, we're doing here, here.

We're just gonna keep doing a straight line like every 20 feet or so?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay.

>> Be a lot easier to see.

That way, we can just camp out and... >> On the deck?

>> ...wait for the the flags.

Sure.

[ Laughs ] >> So, is there a limit to how many traps you can set?

>> Yeah.

So, each person can have five traps.

>> Okay.

>> So we'll have a total of 10 today.

>> 10 traps.

>> Yeah.

>> And we have our fishing licenses 'cause... >> Fishing licenses.

>> ...we got our 2023 fishing license.

>> We're all legal and ready to go.

>> Perfect.

>> Absolutely.

So, this is a sounder.

I know you have one of these.

>> I do.

I think it's in my backpack.

>> Alright.

So, we're just gonna take the hook and loop it through.

This is gonna tell us about how deep -- >> Oh, how deep the water is?

>> You got it.

And you always want to open your trap when you're doing this 'cause God forbid it goes down.

[ Both laugh ] Alright, so, not very much for depth here.

What does that look like to you?

>> So, like 9 feet, something like that?

>> Yeah, maybe about 8 to 10 feet here.

>> So, are you gonna catch different fish out in the middle as opposed to the shore?

Or, like, where do the fish hang out or...?

>> Yeah, so, a lot of your brook trout are gonna be in shallow water and typically closer to shore, and your lake trout, or togue, they're gonna run about 40 feet below the ice.

And, really, anywhere, to be honest.

>> And where the salmon?

>> The salmon is a secret.

I'm just kidding.

>> Okay.

>> The salmon can also be all over.

>> Okay.

>> I've heard of people catching salmon close to shore, middle of the lake.

So, what we're gonna be fishing with today for our bait are some shiners.

Look at how lively those guys are.

♪♪ Then we're gonna go ahead and give it a little hook.

Make sure he's still happy with that.

He sure is.

>> And they don't mind the cold water, huh?

>> They sure do not.

They prefer the cold water.

>> Wow.

Bye, fish.

>> There he goes.

He'll get acclimated to that.

And we'll go ahead and just do maybe one arm length here.

>> Okay.

♪♪ Reel that up.

♪♪ Set our flag.

And you want your reel to be in the center of the hole.

>> Okay.

>> Okay?

And nice and level.

>> Okay.

>> And straight.

See, ice fishing is a great sport for people who... >> Like, are obsessive about, like, right angles and stuff?

>> Exactly.

So, there you go.

It's all set.

We can move on to the next one.

>> Nice.

So, does each ice fisherman use a different color flag on their trap?

Like, is that how you identify, kind of like buoys are all different colors?

>> Yeah.

You see all sorts of colors.

Something bright is good.

Obviously white and green might not be the best idea.

>> Yeah.

Right?

>> This looks like a good spot.

Alright, here we go.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ So, obviously we don't have a shack today.

It's a really nice day today.

>> Yeah.

>> But you can just basically put a shack on any lake you want to?

>> Anywhere you want.

Yeah, absolutely.

And it can be permanent.

It can be temporary just for the day or -- >> Well, permanent for the winter, not year round.

>> Yes, you definitely want to pull that out before it starts to thaw.

[ Laughs ] >> So, as long as you have your fishing license, you're good to go and the lakes are just open for public?

>> Yeah, absolutely.

We do have a free fishing weekend, though, where you don't need a license to fish, so that's pretty cool.

>> Oh, neat.

>> Yeah.

>> Cool.

And can out-of-state people get licenses also, like a day license or something?

>> Absolutely.

>> Cool.

>> Yeah.

So, we are ready to set... >> Next trap.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Dramatic music playing ] ♪♪ [ Slow-motion yelling ] ♪♪ ♪♪ >> Whew!

Alright, I know it just got a bit windy, but now it's time to sit and wait for our flags.

[ Laughs ] >> How long does that take?

>> Could be all day, Lisa.

We've got five traps set right now, so let's just -- Fingers crossed, okay?

>> So, how long is the ice-fishing season?

>> So, that really depends on Mother Nature... >> Okay.

>> ...and whether or not the ice goes out early or -- But people are typically fishing through mid-March, I would say, is quite safe, yeah.

[ Cellphone vibrating ] Oh, it's Myrna!

She's here with the Corgis.

Ah!

>> The corgis are coming to visit?

>> They're coming to visit.

Ah.

So excited.

So, they should be here.

>> [ Whistles ] >> [ Chuckles ] >> I see the corgis.

>> Hi, babies!

Bubbe, come here!

Hi, honey!

Come here!

What are you doing?

>> Hi.

>> Who wants a treat?

Who wants a treat?

[ Gasps ] Hi!

>> Marley.

Oh, you're so little.

Come here.

>> Are you having a good time?

>> Oh, come here.

Ooh.

She wants her carrot.

>> Oh, yes.

Oh, she's -- She's chewing her carrot!

>> In the hole.

Go in the hole.

Go in the hole.

You gonna have some water?

Oh, I can't pick you up because you're a little chunker.

[ Both laugh ] >> Thanks for the visit, guys.

Let's get you back inside.

♪♪ >> So, when you do catch a fish, how do you like to cook it?

>> Hmm.

So, it depends on what we catch.

If it's brook trout, I think they're the easiest.

You can just put it right in a cast iron with some butter.

>> Mm.

>> So good, skin and all, 'cause the skin will get nice and crispy.

>> Okay.

>> We could do a poor man's lobster with some togue and boil it.

Tastes almost like lobster.

Hence, the name.

>> Wow.

>> Or, you know, your standard filet on a salmon would be great in a pan or baked.

>> Right.

>> Ooh.

>> Speaking of... >> I know.

That just made me really hungry talking about all that.

>> Alright, let me go get started on the hash.

And you watch the flags.

>> I'll scream if we get one.

>> Yell.

Yeah.

♪♪ >> It gets cold sitting out on that lake, even when it's not a super cold day, so I decided to come inside, take a break, and make us some hash for lunch.

I'm gonna make a variation of a traditional New England red flannel hash which uses beets instead of potatoes.

So I'm gonna use beets and carrots.

I love the color combination of the red and the bright orange, but I could also use butternut squash.

I could use sweet potato.

You could even use regular potato.

So I'm going to get everything chopped up and onto some pans so we can get those vegetables roasting.

So, I scrubbed my vegetables.

You could peel them.

I like to leave the peels on because that's where a lot of the nutrients are.

And if you're using organic vegetables, you know, then you don't have to worry.

So, I'm just gonna get them on the baking trays.

You can do them all on one tray.

I'm gonna do them on two separate trays just in case the onions cook a little bit quicker and I need to take them out before the carrots and the beets.

♪♪ ♪♪ I happen to love beets, so I really love making this hash.

If you've never had roasted beets, you're definitely in for a treat.

You can buy them at the grocery store.

Obviously, the greens are still on them.

I'm gonna save these for the chickens.

Chickens and ducks love all kinds of greens, so that's kind of an added bonus when you buy the whole fresh beets.

I am gonna peel the beets just because the skins look a little bit thick and a little bit tough.

And, again, the chickens will love them.

So I never miss an opportunity to get some kitchen scraps for the chickens.

♪♪ There are no real measurements for this.

I guess I'm gonna use three beets, three or four carrots, and then an onion.

You just want enough to fill your pan.

I'm going to roast the vegetables and then put them into an oven safe skillet and drop some eggs on top and some cheese and then bake them just until the eggs are cooked.

So, just kind of eyeball it until you have an amount that's gonna fit nicely in a skillet.

Okay, same with the beets.

I'm gonna cut them into about half-inch cubes.

Beet juice stains, so you probably don't want to use your best cutting board.

It's all over my hands.

But beet juice is great for coloring Easter eggs.

I like to use natural vegetable dyes, and beet juice makes really nice Easter eggs.

♪♪ Beets grow really well in Maine.

They are one of the crops that I've had really good luck with, along with garlic and radishes.

Anything that grows underground is gonna be safe from the chickens, but also from things like deer and raccoons.

They'll eat the tops of them off, but the root vegetables tend to do really well here.

♪♪ So, I am gonna put the onion on a separate tray from the other vegetables 'cause I have a feeling it will cook quicker.

I'm gonna roast them at 450 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes, until they've softened and they've browned up a little bit.

The roasting really brings out the flavors in them.

I'm not using any meat in this hash, although you absolutely could.

You could add corned beef.

You could add bacon.

You could add some sausage or chopped meat, whatever you want.

But with the eggs on top -- and hopefully we'll catch a fish later that we can have for dinner -- so we're not gonna need any extra meat in the hash for lunch.

>> [ Sighs ] [ Yawns ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> Okay, now I'm just gonna get these ready to go in the oven.

So, I'm going to drizzle them with a little bit of olive oil.

♪♪ ♪♪ And then I'm gonna add some cardamom.

I really like cardamom on -- well, I like cardamom on everything, but I really like cardamom on roasted vegetables.

It's not really sweet, but it gives it an interesting flavor.

And I think it's gonna be really good in the hash.

And then I'm just gonna do some salt and pepper.

♪♪ ♪♪ Okay, I'm just gonna put some fresh rosemary on top, and then we're gonna get them in the oven.

♪♪ Okay, these look great, so I'm going to get them in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees until they're nicely browned and starting to get soft.

♪♪ ♪♪ While the vegetables are roasting, I'm going to get the toppings ready.

So, I've shredded some mozzarella cheese, and I'm just gonna slice up some scallions to put on top.

♪♪ That'll add a nice pop of green on the top of the hash.

It's gonna be really, really pretty as well as delicious.

Okay, the vegetables are done.

They smell really delicious, and they're starting to caramelize.

I could roast them in the skillet, but I really like to spread them out into a single layer so there's more surface area to get browned.

I just think it makes them taste a lot better.

But you could absolutely make it a one-pot meal and do everything in the skillet.

♪♪ ♪♪ And my onions are looking great, too.

♪♪ ♪♪ Okay, this looks great.

I'm going to sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top.

That's gonna melt right in.

It's so delicious.

♪♪ That looks good.

Now I'm going to crack four eggs over the top.

And when I put it back in the oven, I really want the eggs to stay kind of jammy so the yolks are still a little bit runny.

So, we're gonna do maybe another eight minutes.

But you can you can cook them longer if you want your eggs a little bit more hardboiled.

If you make a little indentation, then crack the egg into it, it'll stay where you want it to go.

You can do four or five eggs, depending on the size skillet you're using.

♪♪ I'm just gonna give it a little more pepper and some salt and put it back in the oven again at 450 for about 8 more minutes.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ It looks so good.

And it smells so good.

This is gonna be such a hearty lunch on a cold winter day.

Can't wait to dig into it.

♪♪ So beautiful.

The colors are so vibrant.

They say we eat with our eyes, and if that's true, this is going to be delicious.

♪♪ I've got the hash.

>> Ooh!

I can smell it.

>> So, we have carrot and beet hash with red onion and mozzarella cheese and an egg.

>> Oh, so good.

>> At least it's warm, right?

>> So warm.

I'm actually just gonna let it warm up my hands for a minute.

>> [ Laughs ] I know.

>> Mmm.

>> It's good.

>> Ooh, Lisa, flag!

>> Oh!

>> Flag!

♪♪ No, the bait's still kicking.

Looks like it may have had a little bit of a strike, yeah.

Okay.

Alright, well, let's put her back down.

Maybe it'll come back for seconds.

>> Okay.

>> Oh.

[ Chuckles ] So close.

>> All that running for nothing.

>> At least it was a flag -- Hey, at least it was a flag.

>> That was exciting.

♪♪ >> Well, it was a good effort.

It's the walk of shame right here, Lisa.

The walk of shame.

>> [ Laughs ] ♪♪ Alright, well, we call this getting skunked.

[ Both laugh ] I don't know about you, but ready to call it a day?

>> I'm cold.

Let's head back and warm up.

>> Well, I need you to hang in there for a minute 'cause we got to get all these traps out of the water.

>> Okay.

>> Can't leave those in overnight.

Let's go ahead and get those going.

>> Alright.

Tomorrow's another day.

>> Absolutely.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> I didn't really want to eat a fish anyway, so... [ Both laugh ] ...it's all good.

>> Funding for "Welcome to My Farm" has been provided by Manna Pro... ♪♪ >> As much as we count on them... >> ...they count on us all the more.

>> ...to nurture their lives... >> ...with the same commitment.

>> Manna Pro -- Nurturing Life.

>> ...Meyer Hatchery... >> Meyer Hatchery offers more than 160 breeds of poultry and carries a full line of feed, supplies, gifts, and decor.

With nearly four decades of experience, the Meyer family is committed to supporting our customers through their entire poultry journey.

Learn more at MeyerHatchery.com.

>> ...and Grubbly Farms.

>> Grubbly Farms -- sustainable feed and treats made with grubs.

Find out more at GrubblyFarms.com.

>> And Horizon Structures -- Delivered fully assembled and ready for same-day use.

♪♪ Closed captioning provided by Eaton Pat & Pasture.

♪♪