The New Chicks are Here!!! Well this post comes rather later, since as I write this the chicks have now been here for about 3 weeks, but as disappointed as I am that I did not get this posted sooner, I am going to go back and finish this post up before I post an update on how our chicks are doing. The Chicks arrived on a Thursday morning at the beginning of October, they came in what seemed like an impossibly small box, but we were completely ready for them so we opened the box the ... [ Read More ]
Our Little Homestead
I wanted to start an new category to chronicle the unfolding of our new little homestead. Many years ago I had a small 5 acre hobby farm, I lost this farm to bad health and other problems at the time. I have always wished that I would have had another choice or found a way to keep it. I never thought I would see the day that I would have another chance, but here we sit, the property is a lot smaller and it is not ours yet, but soon, it will be. I hope to pay for my homestead with cash if at ... [ Read More ]
Planning your First Vegetable Garden
My First Vegetable Garden I can remember my first vegetable garden very clearly I was probably 10 or 12 years old and I had been tormenting my mother about letting me put in a garden forever. I do not know what fascinated me so much about watching vegetables grow; I did not even like them that much at that age, but something about watching seeds germinate and grow into food fascinated me. My first garden was a flop, I only had a tiny plot that was maybe 5ft by 10ft and it was right next to ... [ Read More ]
Why Chickens Quit Laying
When chickens quit laying, it can be frustrating to families and farmers counting on the eggs for food and income. There are a number of different factors that influence laying hens and can disrupt their production or even cause it to cease for a period of time. These variables include: Shorter day length Molting Broodiness Age Nutritional deficiencies Stress As the days shorten in the summer and fall, egg production typically drops off accordingly. Hens respond to the ... [ Read More ]
Turkey the Old-Fashioned Way
There are many delicious ways to prepare and serve turkey. It might be deep-fried, brined, poached, grilled...to mention just a few methods of preparation. This article, however, will focus strictly on tips and techniques for preparing perfect turkey the old-fashioned way - oven roasted. ... [ Read More ]
5 Wonderful Ways to Enjoy Fresh Fall Apples
At this time of year fresh, new-picked apples are at their scrumptious peak. We enjoy simply biting into a fall apple, with the sweet tart juices and the crispy texture that are only to be found in a fruit not long off the tree. However, in autumn apples come in such affordable abundance that we look for ways to use them in our cooking throughout the day. Here's my menu for a day of apples: from breakfast muffins, to lunch salads, to mid-afternoon snack bars and evening supper (not to mention ... [ Read More ]