365 Days of Photos: Day 2

365 Days of Photos: Day 1

Brewing Kombucha..

We try to follow the diet set forth by the Weston A. Price Foundation in the cookbook Nourishing Traditions. Unfortunately, as good diets go, it can be expensive and difficult to follow. Right now in our life I can't be completely organic, it's just not locally available and monetarily feasible so we do the best we can. For what we grow, be it meat, milk or veggies, we stay organic.

Anyway, I've, after seven years of using NT as a guideline, discovered the wonders of Kombucha! You can buy it in places like Whole Foods under the brand: GT's. But it's super cheap to brew it at home! I have anywhere from 4-6 gallons batch brewing at a time. I just buy black and green teas and C&H Cane sugar. Most sugar is beet sugar which is GMO unless organic. We work pretty hard to keep GMOs out of our diet. Kombucha is about the only reason we have sugar around. To learn more about it's benefits and how to brew it visit Kombucha Kamp.

Why did I start brewing kombucha? Mainly for my 5yro DS. He has awful eczema that covers his entire body. He was born with it. I was pregnant with him during my Lupus healing crisis. By the end of the pregnancy I was glowing with health. But that's another story.
He drinks about 2-4oz. a day and it has made a remarkable difference in his eczema! I drink it because I crave it so I end up drinking 12-24oz a day. And everyone else just loves it! Soda pop is a poor substitute. The kombucha can be flavored with fruit juices or drank plain. It's yummy and fizzy with a nice sweet burn. And it gives a great energy boost! So give it a try!

The Tractor is HERE!

Cat in the Brooder!! ACK!!

Bummer!! One of our cats got into the chick brooder. He ate all but two chicks! I was able to get the last two to a lady to brood them as she was already brooding some baby guineas.

Breeds of Cattle: Ayrshire

Ah, Ayrshire cattle... this is my least favorite breed thus far. Though we were able to obtain good qualiomty cattle their personality was best described as "naughty." I'd have to agree after handling them for the last year. Now, it could be other herds have better mannered animals but I don't know on that part. These cows are the ones that kick the tar out of you! Now, of the 3 pure Ayrshires we have one that is a high producer and throws huge tantrums; the next loves leading the herd where I don't want them to go and the third I actually like. Though she had a few issues she's the most trainable and the best milker. Awesome body type and a beautiful udder.

Herd integration into a mixed breed herd has been poor. They are the bottom and their attitudes and overreactions keep them there. In fact, it makes them the butt of jokes. The other cows purposely bully them for the sheer entertainment value. How do I know this? It's entertaining to watch.

Their milk is meant for cheese. I don't mind drinking their milk but I prefer the drinking quality of milk from my other breeds my favorite being Milking Devon.

Rural Heritage rates the temperament of Ayrshire oxen as "active and challenging." I would say the same goes for the cows. So this is a breed not meant for the faint of heart.

November already ...

We're down to milking 4 cows now. Seems to take less time. I have found our calf, Daisy, to be extraordinarily stubborn. She won't lead, even to the pen with the nurse cow. If milk can't get a calf to lead I don't know what will! I have a love hate relationship with her and she regularly makes me lose my temper. Which is actually rather hard to do. So then the situation degrades and we're both mad at each other.

The drought has majorly hurt us for winter grazing. We like to "stock pile" grass for our hay instead of buying hay. Nothing grew well. Too dry. So now we're facing liquidation of our beef herd. Yuck.