So many times something seems and appears to be a most excellent idea as an addition to the farm... and 75% of the time it ends up being a flop. A huge HUGE flop!!
Our latest, Dorking chickens. On paper, looks fantastic and perfect. Spent a lot of time reading about them on breeder boards and such but sometimes you miss that one crucial question that can make or break you. In their case, it has to do with eggs laying.
When we first got breeding stock we kept them in breeding group pens. That was more our fault because they really didn't get enough sunlight to be productive. So, we let them free roam. The hens were refusing to roost in the coop. It took an owl nearly killing one (we were able to stop the killing process I'm time and chase the owl off) to get all the hens to roost in the coop. The roosters work pretty diligently to gather all of them up as well.
Now they are roosting in the coop but they lay their eggs every where! Once you find their nest, they move it. It's rather difficult to get eggs to hatch or eat if you can't find them. We're just a tad frustrated ...
Monday, November 12, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
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!
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!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
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.
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