What We've Been Waiting For!

At last! My Welsummer hens have started laying. We got our first egg from them on Tuesday, December 14th. They aren't the dark "chocolate" color I was expecting, but they are very, very pretty with their freckles and dusky color. I took WAY too many pictures of them, and of course, had to share them with you. Who else would appreciate egg pictures?!

There are four Welsummer eggs in the basket. The bigger, lighter brown egg is from my Brahma hen, and the white eggs are from the game hens that were supposed to be Americaunas.

I just love my colorful egg basket! I'm so glad I don't have all one breed of chicken. Now that I have this assortment, I never want to go back to all one color.

Eggs!

This spring I bought 8 Welsummers because I wanted their beautiful chocolate brown eggs. They are now 9 months old and have yet to lay a single egg. On top of that, my three mature hens started to molt in August, and were laying sporadically. Then they quit. We haven't had a single egg since September first. Last night when I went out, there were three beautiful eggs waiting for me! After a three month long wait, we finally have eggs!

The chickens spent the summer in our chicken tractors so they could "free range" without danger of predation, or at least to minimize that danger. When they hadn't laid in 8 weeks, I remodeled the bachelor pad and moved them there, to a more traditional chicken house with a yard. I increased their feed from a 16% protein feed to a 20% one. I am also using a heat lamp on the nights that the temperature dips below the freezing mark. Which of these factors broke the strike? I don't know, but I sure am glad about it!

Soap

Making homemade soap is one of my favorite things to do. I took these pictures a while back, and kept thinking I would make a small, plain batch and do a tutorial of how to make soap, but it hasn't happened. The top bar is patchouli, the next one is cornmeal tangerine for at the kitchen sink, the next one is my deer camp blend. It has cedar wood oil, coffee, and cocoa in it. The next bar is fragrance free, and the bottom bar is another patchouli that shows the staining that occurs as a result of the soap being in contact with my wooden mold.

Plenty

He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty. ~Proverbs 28:19


This is my great grandmother. She passed away when I was very young, but I do remember her. When we would go to visit her, she was nearly always either working in the garden or her flowers. What a blessing it is to have a heritage of love for the land and for the plants God blessed us with!

Beautiful 'Boocha!

I started making kombucha a couple years ago. It's always just been okay, nothing to write home about. But this batch... this is the best EVER!!! Here it is still in the half gallon jar, waiting to be harvested:

And here is the brand new scoby all ready to begin life in a new batch. Isn't it beautiful?! I've never made one so pristine before. :D

And here is the new batch, ready to start brewing. I moved the scobies to a new gallon jar, and spiked it with plenty of fully ripe 'bucha to give it a jump start.

The Depths of the Sea

I grew up listening to this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcbc0lb2QE0&feature=related and knew it was derived from scripture.

During a Bible study I attended there was discussion about how we will give an account for all our sins. I asked how that jives with the verse that says our sins will be lost in the sea of God's forgetfulness. The leader acted as though I were adding to scripture. I didn't know the reference, so I let it drop, but it's weighed heavily on my mind ever since. I don't believe God's Word contradicts Itself, so I'm a little confused about this one...

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Why?

I lost my mother to breast cancer at the age of 47. Since then, many people have asked me to participate in various breast cancer fundraisers. I have tried my best to politely decline. For me, it's a very emotionally charged issue. More than you can imagine! It's not just that I lost my mother to it (as if that weren't enough). I'm STILL not ready to get into all the reasons I want no part with those organizations or their activities. A blogger I've followed for years has done a post that articulates my thoughts on the topic pretty well, and so I wanted to link to it. If you've ever wondered or been confused by my actions and/or reactions, maybe this will shed a little light. http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/10/politically-incorrect-thoughts-on-breast-cancer.html

My First Interview

I'm not talking about the kind where you go looking for a job.

Megan over at A Blossoming Homestead (I SO wish I knew how to make that a link!) asked to interveiw me a week or so ago. My response was, "Are you sure?! If you still want me after you've read my blog a little more, I'd be happy to, but I'm really not that prolific!" Well, she did want me! She'd already read my blog, and so I agreed. It can be found here: http://ablossominghomestead.blogspot.com/2010/10/word-from-wise-visit-with-michelle-body.html

The Word

I've REALLY been craving God's Word lately. These verses have embedded themselves in my heart:

Titus 2:4-5 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.


Proverbs 12:10-11 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.


Jeremiah 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

denim and burgundy

I have an aunt who taught me to love old barns. We could be driving along just about anywhere, and she'd spot and old barn and comment on what a great subject for a painting it would be. She trained me to look for them without even realizing it.

There is a barn a few miles from my house that I just love. It's not particularly interesting in it's structure, and it's probably not really that old. But the colors draw me in! The way the galvanized tin and rust blend is so beautiful. I look forward to seeing it every time I drive by. One day I stopped to take pictures so I could send them to her and I thought I'd share them here as well.

Sailors Take Warnin'

My daddy and I were avid fishing buddies when I was growing up. It never got too hot or too cold for us to go fishing. (In Tennessee the water never (that I know of) froze enough that you couldn't get a boat through.) On nearly every trip, Daddy would look at the sun and quote, "Red sky in the mornin', sailors take warnin'. Red sky at night, sailor's delight." I was reminded of this as I came in from milking. The sun had just popped over the horizon, and it was a beautiful blaze.

My Wrecking Crew

The goats have proven to be a wonderful addition to our homestead. I'm afraid Wayne may not agree, though! He has "help" any time he tries to work outside. Most of the time it's just a challenge, but sometimes it can be a little too much. Like this day when he was working on a riding mower, and Miracle decided to have a taste.

You last heard that I was buying Perle and "Jasper." A lot has changed since then. The breeder had named "Jasper" Bill after Buffalo Bill because he looked like a baby bison when he was born. I'd known him for almost two months before he came home, and I never could remember Jasper quickly enough and called him Bill at least half the time. I gave in and he is Bill. Getting a good picture of him is like trying to capture a wild animal in the jungle!
Perle is the original dairy goat I selected to bring home. She has proven to be a real sweetheart, and a joy to milk twice a day. (She does have ornery moments from time to time, but who doesn't?!) I am very pleased with her. So much so that I may not branch out into the Nubians like I originally planned.

Pete (as in, Peter Pan) was a sweet surprise. I was there while Pete's mother was in labor, and also next day, but not at his actual birth. Michele (my breeder) gave him to me, which was such a blessing because I didn't really get to enjoy Bill's "bottle baby" phase. Pete is truly my baby!

Miracle is our most recent addition to our herd. She's quite a mess! She is very sweet, loving, and attached to people. I'm not sure she even thinks she's a goat.
She's also into EVERYTHING!!! -including my flower pot. LOL!
Miracle has a precocious udder. She is only six months old, and her udder is nearly as big as Perle's.

Home

I'm expecting a very special visitor to my blog soon. She's coming specifically to see pictures of our home, which I've failed to mail her. This is a duplicate of my very first post, and I'm hoping she'll stick around and see what else I've been up to. *wink*


Our new home! After spending over three years looking for, and going through the process of buying, a home- here it is!

This is the view standing on the west side of the house looking back east.

And this is the back side, looking south. I love the hand pump in the back patio. It connects to a huge cistern underneath the patio. I can't wait to get it repaired so we can use it for watering the garden and flower beds!

This is the barn, taken from the back patio. Soon it will be filled with a milk cow, chickens, and Wayne's small engine repair shop. (Don't Whine, Call Wayne!)


This was also taken from the back patio, facing northeast. It shows the root cellar and outhouse, two of my favorite features of our home, sweet home.

FYI

I miss you terribly! As you've already figured out, I don't have reglar internet access in the summer. I feel so disconnected with no internet access at home. After spending over $500 for car repairs a month ago, it has broken down again. It's worse than ever. We don't even know if we are going to be able to get it running again. And they started taking out "benefits" from Wayne's paycheck, and so instead of having money left after the bills are paid, we are short. It's so frustrating!!! I do get a raise this fall, though, so hopefully it will cover the deficit and we're making it between me packing worms and Wayne working on lawn mowers for people. I was supposed to have a job at Home Depot, but that fell through. They told me I had the job at the interview, and the HR person was supposed to call me to schedule my drug test. Supposedly she forgot about me and went on vacation. I called back threee different times, and never had my calls returned. It's a good thing by now that they didn't call. For one, I probably would have been fired for lack of dependable transportation, but the other is that I would have told them what I thought of their disorganized mess of an excuse for a hiring process and burned any bridges that I might have had in the future! So.. I'm packing worms here and there (when they need me- I'm the backup for their niece who's an MK from Kharkov, Ukrane) while Wayne is at work. It's stressful to have to drive back and forth with milking Perle. ( I have to take Wayne to work(45 minutes one way), drive back home and milk, and then drive 40 minutes to do the worms.) I dread for school to start back and have to deal with a milk goat and one vehicle. I doubt I'll be able to do it. It would mean milking at 4 AM and we wouldn't even be home in 12 hours to do it again. Our garden is strictly volunteer plants this year. We have potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash. I bought two black breasted brown game hens to be mommas for my chicks that they will raise. ... and I think that's about it for what's new with me. If you try to comment and think I've rejected you, I haven't! I just haven't seen your comment yet! Have a great summer, everyone!

Perle's Coming!

I was planning to wait until I actually had her home so I could post pictures that I'd taken myself, but I just can't stand in any longer! I have to share. She had not had any kids yet when this picture was taken. She's had two sets now. She has twin doelings on her at the moment. I am also getting a wether named Jasper for her companion. Jasper is about two months old, so he will be a bottle baby. How fun is that?!

My Thoughts on Raising Meat Birds

I would definitely recommend raising your own roosters for butchering (as opposed to ordering mass quantities from a hatchery). We ordered 100 Buff Orpington cockerels from the hatchery, and it was a mess from start to finish. Checking 100 chicks for pasty butt every day is a long, tedious chore. Coccidiosis is a nightmare (it claimed about half the flock), and when you are away from home 12+ hours a day, it's super hard to find time to process the birds once they reach full size. Then, if they reach sexual maturity before you get time to harvest them, you have a fighting mob on your hands. If we'd processed them last September as planned, we'd have had a freezer FULL of nice, plump chickens. We didn't make that deadline, and ended up overwintering them, which was hard on us all. We lost another half of the flock over the course of the winter, mostly from their vicious fighting. They refused to even leave the roost on the coldest days of winter, so they lost weight. With spring they started ranging out much better, but they were fighting one another a lot, and constantly running/chasing. There is just no way we could get them back up to the size they were in the fall, before this much testosterone had kicked in.

I do not use the "hybrid crosses" because I feel that the creation of such birds is inhumane. Their bodies grow so much faster than their internal organs can support. Their bones grow too quickly and are susceptible to breakage, and can you just imagine the growing pains they experience?! All this rapid growth is bound to produce birds with inferior health. Their little livers cannot keep up with the purification needs of a full sized bird, to give one example. For all these reasons, we stick with heritage breeds of chickens. Last year I bought Buff Orpingtons and Black Australorps. This year I am doing my best to get Welsummer pullets. I will probably get some sort of bantam hen(s) to be setters for me, and we will butcher the cockerels that are born, but we won't buy cockerels for meat making purposes again. (I know, never say never...)

Butter Advice Needed

Okay Y'all, I need some help. Butter making baffles me! Sometimes it whips up in no time flat, and sometimes it takes HOURS! Literally! I've heard that you need it chilled as much as possible, and I've heard the it needs to be room temperature. I've heard that it needs to be aged, I've heard that it needs to be fresh. Argh! What's the trick?! My blender is on it's last leg, and I'd really like to make it in the food processor. PLEASE help me! What are your tricks and tips for making butter. (don't assume I already know ANYTHING!)

Why Herbs?

A friend recently asked why we have lost the way of using herbs that our ancestors did, and have "progressed" to drugs instead. Here is my answer to her:

The reason is that herbs cannot be patented, and so drug companies can't make gazillions of dollars off them like they can chemicals. Often they will isolate the most (obviously)active component of an herb and learn how to make it synthetically, and then market that synthetic version as a drug. God made things to have many components that work together for our good. The intricate relationship of the different parts of the herb are beyond our comprehension. Taking a synthetic replacement for the real thing (herb) is like eating stripped down white flour versus whole grain flour. It's just not as good for you, and will have harmful effects over the long haul as well.

So... *climbing down off my soapbox* I say, if it worked for them, it's good for us!

Chicken Killin'

On Saturday we began the process of butchering the 20-something roosters that inhabit our yard. Of course, true to form, we realized on Saturday morning that we had nothing to put them in! I had a grand total of THREE one gallon Ziploc bags, and I didn't know if the birds would even fit in them whole, which is how I planned to store them. This necessitated a trip into town for a solution to this problem.

I've been considering the purchase of a vacuum food storage system since early last summer. It isn't exactly a NEED, but I feel it's a very good investment in the stability of our food supply. (No more freezer burnt food!) My darling husband has known about this, but I don't think he realized how seriously I wanted it. Since we were about to butcher a year's worth (if not more than that) of chicken, I didn't want all that effort to go to waste. I suggested that the moment may have come to make this purchase, and why. He said, "Get it!" And so I did.

I am not one for having a lot of appliances. In fact, I try to have as few as I possibly can. However, I think this one will be worth the cabinet space.

Before we actually got to the butchering, we had to build our killing cone. I purchased $13 worth of flashing and had enough material to make three cones. (We decided to only make one, and save the rest in case we find other needs for it later.) Here is the killing cone, work table with knives, and coolers filled with ice water ready to accept that wonderful, wholesome, free range meat:

We followed kosher butchering practices to the best of our knowledge, which made the process much less stressful than it could have been, for both the birds and us. One thing we did that was unorthodox to everyone we know is that we skinned the birds instead of plucking them. We didn't have access to an automatic plucker, and dipping the birds in boiling water and then taking all that time to pluck feathers in a wet, stinking mess did not even remotely appeal to us, so we opted to skin them. This turned out even better than I had hoped. It was a little tricky in a few areas, but overall, I think it was a good decision. Here is what our birds look like all done:

When Wayne saw me taking pictures, he had to show off his injury sustained during a skinning accident:

I went a little crazy.

I've wanted stainless steel water bottles for a long time. Maybe as much as two years. All the ones I've seen were in the $20 range. Too much for me at this time. This weekend while browsing Big Lots, I discovered them for $4 each!!!

My goal is to have a plastic, aluminum, and teflon free kitchen! Here's one more step in that direction.

Orchard

I'm so excited! We officially have an orchard. All our trees are dwarf varieties. Last fall I bought a Winesap apple tree and two blueberry bushes. One is an Elliot and the other is ?. On Saturday we bought four more trees: a Granny Smith apple, a Yellow Delicious apple, a black plum, and a Bartlett pear. We also got two grape vines. Both of the grape varieties are seedless. One is black, and one is green. Our plan is to plant the front half of the front yard in fruit trees, and then we will plant the west side yard in nut trees, more than likely. Let me tell you, figuring out how to plant those puppies (as in, the arrangement) was a nightmare. I must have walked at least a mile measuring this way and that. My original plan was to plant each tree or bush or vine in proximity to it's neighbor based on it's mature size according to the labels. I realized this was going to give more of a woodsy appearance than a neat, orderly, rowed orchard. I was actually cool with that. But then I remembered that this would have to be mowed, and what a pain it would be to have to constantly swerve in and out and around all these irregularly placed trees. And we plan to live with this for the next 50 years of so! Argh! After laying out all the trees/bushes/vines according to their individual needs, I decided that I needed to place them uniformly for ease of mowing. So... everything is planted 15 feet apart, with the rows being offset 7.5 feet, to make the appearance more pleasing and to help block the view from the road. Why, oh WHY do I have to make everything so complicated?! Because I am going to have to live with it for the rest of my life and I want it to look RIGHT, that's why!!!

I know it's hard to see the trees, but if you click on the picture it will open in it's own window, and you can see it much better then.

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

I've wanted to try fermented cod liver oil for a long time. It has many, many benefits. Just taking regular cod liver oil has helped me tremendously. I have a brighter outlook, feel more energetic, and feel less inflammation in my body as a result of taking this super valuable supplement. Not if, but when I buy FCLO it will be from Green Pastures because they are the best company I know of for this particular product.

The Plunge

I've known for a few years that I needed to Just Say No to sugar. I tried a couple of times, and was such an emotional wreck that I gave up. The scale has given me alarming data. The mirror, too. A couple of fellow bloggers announced that they were going sugar free, and I thought, "This is it. I must do it. Now." I discussed this with my darling husband, and he was totally on board.

*deep breath* We are doing this. Those of you who know me know that I will not put the chemistry experiment known as artificial sweeteners into my body, so this is the real thing! I will not use honey or sorghum, either, for at least the first month. After that, maybe... we'll see.

I will be consuming plenty of real food, including all the fruits and veggies I want.

Soooo Spoiled

I have this dear friend who spoils me absolutely, positively rotten. She has given me so many lovely things, I can't begin to name them all. Her latest gift, though, takes the cake!!! I had no idea she was scheming this, and last night when I got home after a particularly rough day, there was a darling package in our mailbox. The package was decorated in a valentines theme, and was in itself a thing of beauty. Inside, she'd wrapped this gift of the heart in Valentine themed tissue paper and tied it with red ribbon and a tiny card that said "hugs" for the tag. It was too pretty to open, really. But when I opened it, tears sprang into my eyes. Her thoughtfulness is incomprehensible! What did I see? An apron, made from a vintage feed sack! It is the most darling thing you can imagine! I've been wanting an apron for a couple of years now, and even bought fabric and a pattern for that perfect one, but haven't had the time to make it.

Oh, Dianna, you will never know how you've touched my heart!

What's grosser than gross?

*Warning, this post contains a disturbing image.*

Several years ago I found this delightful appliance at my local Goodwill store. I could not believe my good fortune at finding such a handy gadget for such a wonderful price. I don't remember what I paid, but I bet it wasn't over $5. I used it a lot in those first few months, but soon tired of cleaning the lovely blade component, which is more akin to a screen than a blade, and so it ended up in the back of my appliance cabinet.

Fast forward about five years.

About a month ago I was craving oranges. I bought a bag of those little flat naval oranges thinking it was a bargain. I ate a couple and the rest languished on the table. They were beginning to dry out. Rather than allow them to go to waste, on Monday night I decided to juice them! When I was almost finished I reached into the exhaust (where the pulp comes out) of my juicer to grab a piece that had not processed to put it back through. Let's just say it didn't take me long to inspect the inside if that thing! I used to think people who did this sort of thing were morons who deserved what they got. Now I'm one of 'em! It's been two days, and it still hasn't scabbed over. I almost went in for stitches, but decided they didn't have anything to work with.

(2-22-10): It's healing amazingly fast. Don't get me wrong, I still have to be exceedingly careful, and if I bump it it starts bleeding and I want to cry... but still, it's getting there. I think all those little swirls of skin are going to graft and help it heal much more quickly.
(3-1-10): I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~Psalm 139:14 This passage doesn't just apply to the formation of infants, but the weaving together of every aspect of us, throughout our lives. The speed with which my finger has healed is amazing to me! I am so thankful for our all-knowing Creator.
(3-8-10)Still healing beautifully. Next week is spring break, and so I won't be able to post a new pic on Monday. I might post one on Friday if I remember.

(3-26-10) Almost completely well. :-)

Wrapped Up in Love

My stepmom (who hates the whole "step-" concept, but what else am I supposed to call her?) created these beautiful quilts for us. The first one was my Christmas Gift for 2007. I got to be deeply involved in the selection of style and colors. I've always wanted a double wedding ring quilt done in shades of white. She laughed and told me if I wanted a double wedding ring quilt I'd have to do it myself! :-) I love organic, unbleached fabrics, so she made it with that for the field color and the backing. I just love it. The pieced parts are done in pastels, which I also adore! The blocks are done in trapunto, which is my favorite quilting style. When I sleep under it, I feel so peaceful and refreshed. I know every stitch was a labor of love.

This next quilt was created for Wayne. It was his gift for Christmas 2008.

It's made from plaid flannels and, I think, homespun fabric. The quilting is in the shape of oak leaves. How cool is that?!?!

Deliciousness!!!

Chicken Broccoli Lo Mein

This is one of my favorite meals. I just learned to make it last September. It's from the Fix It and Enjoy It Cookbook.

Put a pot of water to boil for the noodles.

Cube one pound of chicken into about 1" pieces. Fry them in oil. I used olive oil with a drizzle of sesame oil for flavor.

While the chicken is frying, combine 1/4 c. peanut butter, 1/4 c. soy sauce, 1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1/3 c. hot water, and 2 cloves of garlic, minced in a glass jar with a good lid. Put the lid on and shake until contents are thoroughly mixed.

Once the chicken has cooked for about 5 minutes, add one medium bunch of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces.

Put the noodles into the boiling water. I used rice noodles, which I adore. They cook almost instantly. If you leave them in too long, they will turn into a glob. It's taken me several tries to learn how to cook them, and they are still not perfect, but much better. My technique is to salt and oil the water, stir them frequently while they are cooking, and drain them by ladling them up and letting it drip off the noodles, then piling them on a plate.

Majesty!

On the way to church this morning, I was blessed to encounter an eagle. This is the third time in my life I've seen an eagle in a wild setting. It's awe inspiring to see this creation. Our Heavenly Father blesses us so abundantly! The beauty He surrounds us with is breathtaking. If we will only take the time to notice.

Homemade Toothpaste

I'm working to eliminate synthetic chemicals from my personal care products and household cleaners. Abut a month ago, I decided I'd had it with commercial toothpaste. It was the day I could not find a single tube that wasn't "tartar control," which causes the entire lining of my mouth to shed each time I use it, and also causes me to get canker sores. I have used baking soda in a pinch or when I wanted to whiten, swishing with peroxide afterward, but after this escapade, I made the leap. I've used nothing but baking soda for these weeks. I've missed the minty or cinnamon-y flavor much more than I thought I would. So I was thrilled when I stumbled across another blog whose author shares her homemade toothpaste recipe today: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_toothpaste#comment-21383

Here is her recipe:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 small packet of stevia powder
20-25 drops of peppermint oil*

1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, using a fork.

*Add about half of the amount of peppermint oil to start, and test the toothpaste to see how much you want/like. I used NOW brand peppermint oil, and ended up stopping at 25 drops which is still not as strong as I am used to, though it does taste nice and minty! Julie noted in her instructions that using part spearmint oil will make the toothpaste not as "hot" as using all peppermint oil.

I can NOT WAIT to try this!!!