My Azure Standard drop managers asked me to take a drop point. Tim & Laura who manage our AS drop are taking care of a friend with cancer, the bi-monthly AS order has become a bit too much for them, so I agreed to handle one of the routes. We have two routes that come through town, the I-1 and I-2 routes. We have what's called an open drop where anyone in the area can order and have it delivered to a drop point (me or Tim & Laura) then they come and collect there stuff. It's a nice way to save on gas so the truck driver doesn't deliver to everyone's house it all just goes to your drop manager. A closed drop would be you and several of your friends only, as long as you make the minimum $500 order. It's riskier with an open drop because you might not make that $500 but this way everyone gets a chance to play. In our area we are one of AS's biggest drop routes. The goods for tomorrow's drop are in the $800 area, but usually they are nearing $1,600. That's a lot of buying power!
Tomorrow during a snowstorm will be my first ever drop. The truck driver will show up, hand me a stack of invoices and start unloading the truck. I'll run inside and start calling everyone to let them know the truck and goods have arrived. Then they'll show up and collect stuff, viola done!
It's pretty straight forward and according to Tim & Laura everyone is pretty good about coming to get stuff. I'm looking forward too it, maybe I'll post some pictures tomorrow?
28 February 2012
17 February 2012
New Girls in Town
Since we've had nothing but broody from the Sussex girls we've decided to refresh the flock. I opted to go with black star, (I have tried red star in the past) and buff Orpington. One of our Sussex girls will get to remain, I'd like it to be "ooh shiny" (yes that's her name) but she's a roo in a hens body and we might get some major bullying if I allow her to stay. At this point I'm not sure which sussie will get a pass, but it's a real game of survival now. This way I'll have 'curious' our grandma buff orpington who has a permanent freezer pass, one sussie, and the new black star's and BO.
So with that said it's baby chick time:
I do intend to put the Sussies up for sale on Craigslist just in case anyone in my area is looking for broody hens. Since most people use an incubator to hatch chicks, I doubt I'll be able to sell them all. We'll see.
So with that said it's baby chick time:
I do intend to put the Sussies up for sale on Craigslist just in case anyone in my area is looking for broody hens. Since most people use an incubator to hatch chicks, I doubt I'll be able to sell them all. We'll see.
12 February 2012
Garden Redux
Our garden layout looks like this:
The raised beds were spaced this far apart to accommodate the garden cart which has two very wide wheels. The thought of all that pathway now is unthinkable! In this state our growing square footage for the ENTIRE garden is 640 square feet. When we go to row gardens we'll be roughly up to 1,400 square feet! AHH!!!! That's so much more growing space! This means more potatoes and finally I'll have room to grow squash and cukes! But with the decision to row garden comes an entire garden redux. Actually it will be much easier. The drip line and watering will be the same just extended to longer garden beds. The raised bed wood has plans too... it's going to become the bones for our wood shed. Because currently we have a giant pile of firewood right in the middle of the garden.
Slowly on nice days we've been dismantling the raised beds, and organizing the drip lines. With tree's to plant and espalier and a garden to reorganize it's gonna be a busy spring. I love this time of year, it's full of possibilities!
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The raised beds were spaced this far apart to accommodate the garden cart which has two very wide wheels. The thought of all that pathway now is unthinkable! In this state our growing square footage for the ENTIRE garden is 640 square feet. When we go to row gardens we'll be roughly up to 1,400 square feet! AHH!!!! That's so much more growing space! This means more potatoes and finally I'll have room to grow squash and cukes! But with the decision to row garden comes an entire garden redux. Actually it will be much easier. The drip line and watering will be the same just extended to longer garden beds. The raised bed wood has plans too... it's going to become the bones for our wood shed. Because currently we have a giant pile of firewood right in the middle of the garden.
Slowly on nice days we've been dismantling the raised beds, and organizing the drip lines. With tree's to plant and espalier and a garden to reorganize it's gonna be a busy spring. I love this time of year, it's full of possibilities!
08 February 2012
Heeling in fruit trees
Jake and I have been evaluating our major food purchases from last year. Aside from grain which we can't grow in quantity, we spent most of our money on fruit. We can grow soft fruits like straw-,rasp- and blueberries. Our freak show (5 graft) apple has started to produce some fruit but other than that we purchase most stone fruit, like peaches and cherries. So with that said I made a pretty impressive purchase of fruit trees that we intend to espalier along all fences. If we allow 8' for each tree we can roughly get 20 trees on site! I just purchased 10 trees and 4 current bushes. In other fruit tree news, our neighbors got a shipment of fruit trees last year and by shipment I mean over 100 trees! It helps to know orchard people... anyway they've agreed to give us our pick once they see what survives this winter. They were hoping to get 15 full size trees and had a jaw dropping moment when several packages with TONS of trees arrived. Being slightly overwhelmed they just trenched them in and were going to prep the ground for their orchard this spring. Long story short, we'll get some leftovers!
So my list of newly purchased fruities goes like this: All are on dwarfing root stocks.
Current- Red Lake- 4 bushes
Apple- Honey Crisp
Plum- Japanese Elephant Heart
Cherry- Craig's Crimson
Lapins
Stella
Peach- Redhaven
Red Baron
Nectarine- White Arctic Jay
Pear- European Comice
European Bosc
I know the neighbors for sure have an excess of plums and apricots, so I decided to purchase the trees I know I love and crap shoot with the free trees. Here they are being "heeled in" in our garage. The trees are still dormant so I raised a pot off the ground so the cement wouldn't cool the roots too much and basically planted 5 trees to a pot until the ground thaws. They should keep just fine for a month until the ground thaws enough to dig holes. *Fingers crossed*
I do want to purchase some blackberries which is one soft fruit we don't have growing yet. But I think I'll try and find a type I like at a nursery locally, maybe thornless? We do have a grape growing called Himrod but with a late frost last year all it's top growth was killed and it had to come back from the roots. We'll see if it had enough time to bulk up before winter, I do hope it survives.
So my list of newly purchased fruities goes like this: All are on dwarfing root stocks.
Current- Red Lake- 4 bushes
Apple- Honey Crisp
Plum- Japanese Elephant Heart
Cherry- Craig's Crimson
Lapins
Stella
Peach- Redhaven
Red Baron
Nectarine- White Arctic Jay
Pear- European Comice
European Bosc
I know the neighbors for sure have an excess of plums and apricots, so I decided to purchase the trees I know I love and crap shoot with the free trees. Here they are being "heeled in" in our garage. The trees are still dormant so I raised a pot off the ground so the cement wouldn't cool the roots too much and basically planted 5 trees to a pot until the ground thaws. They should keep just fine for a month until the ground thaws enough to dig holes. *Fingers crossed*
I do want to purchase some blackberries which is one soft fruit we don't have growing yet. But I think I'll try and find a type I like at a nursery locally, maybe thornless? We do have a grape growing called Himrod but with a late frost last year all it's top growth was killed and it had to come back from the roots. We'll see if it had enough time to bulk up before winter, I do hope it survives.
26 January 2012
Sprouting Wheat for Flour
Many people with more eloquence and a lot better pictures have touched on this topic before. But here's my take on it. We started grinding our own flour, because grain stores longer than flour, plus it makes better bread. Having done some research on sprouting it's generally accepted that sprouting the wheat berries makes it more digestible. It unlocks more nutrients and is assimilated better into our bodies.
First off I start with white wheat berries, I intend to try spelt, and emmer in the future. I don't measure exact amounts when sprouting I just roughly fill each 1/2 gallon mason jar to the 2 pints line. Then I fill each jar to rinse off the grain a few times. I use the handy green sprouting lid so I don't lose any grain when dumping out the water. I've also used cheesecloth and a rubber band, whatever works right? After the grain is rinsed, fill the jar with water and let it sit overnight 8+ hours. I usually go in the neighborhood of 12-15 hours soaking, it depends on when I fill the jar and when I remember to dump it out, it's a pretty forgiving process. The grain should've swelled to almost filling the jar, which is why I leave so much room at the top!
The next morning dump out the water and begin sprouting. It's exactly the same as all other sprouting at this point, rinse grain and keep it moist by rinsing twice a day am/pm. Until it sprouts tiny tails like above right.
Now comes the drying part. I layer the grain into 2 electric dehydrators using the fruit leather trays so the grain doesn't just fall through. Then I plug in and dry it all day. One of my dehydrators is faster so I just monitor it. You could also build one of these to avoid the electricity, which I do intend to build now... a pellet stove dehydrator. The grain should feel just as it did before sprouting, meaning it can't be crushed by a fingernail and it looks similar to this.
To grind it I use either my country living grain mill or my vitamix dry blender. I know the country living grain mill can grind it to the powdered flour consistency I'd need for bread, but it's really difficult. But grinding it to a "cornmeal" feel is rather easy (and a good arm work out). To get it the rest of the way I'll use the vitamix. But for this demo I use the blender the whole way because picture taking is just easier that way.
Before I grind I put the grain in the freezer, this keeps it from over heating during milling and having the oils go rancid. The risk is low for only grinding for a short time. In the blender it takes just over 1 minute to grind 2 cups of grain into flour. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Here's some links for more sprouting info. GNOWFGLINS and sprouted bread wiki style.
Now go make some bread! Any leftover flour I freeze, because flour with the bran inside it, like this has, will go bad much faster. Plus it's not "fortified" with anything to keep it's shelf life. So leftover flour --> freezer!
First off I start with white wheat berries, I intend to try spelt, and emmer in the future. I don't measure exact amounts when sprouting I just roughly fill each 1/2 gallon mason jar to the 2 pints line. Then I fill each jar to rinse off the grain a few times. I use the handy green sprouting lid so I don't lose any grain when dumping out the water. I've also used cheesecloth and a rubber band, whatever works right? After the grain is rinsed, fill the jar with water and let it sit overnight 8+ hours. I usually go in the neighborhood of 12-15 hours soaking, it depends on when I fill the jar and when I remember to dump it out, it's a pretty forgiving process. The grain should've swelled to almost filling the jar, which is why I leave so much room at the top!
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The next morning dump out the water and begin sprouting. It's exactly the same as all other sprouting at this point, rinse grain and keep it moist by rinsing twice a day am/pm. Until it sprouts tiny tails like above right.
Now comes the drying part. I layer the grain into 2 electric dehydrators using the fruit leather trays so the grain doesn't just fall through. Then I plug in and dry it all day. One of my dehydrators is faster so I just monitor it. You could also build one of these to avoid the electricity, which I do intend to build now... a pellet stove dehydrator. The grain should feel just as it did before sprouting, meaning it can't be crushed by a fingernail and it looks similar to this.
Before I grind I put the grain in the freezer, this keeps it from over heating during milling and having the oils go rancid. The risk is low for only grinding for a short time. In the blender it takes just over 1 minute to grind 2 cups of grain into flour. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 |  |
Here's some links for more sprouting info. GNOWFGLINS and sprouted bread wiki style.
Now go make some bread! Any leftover flour I freeze, because flour with the bran inside it, like this has, will go bad much faster. Plus it's not "fortified" with anything to keep it's shelf life. So leftover flour --> freezer!
23 January 2012
Awesomely Ugly Bookshelf
Garden used 2x4's split to make 2x2's and leftovers from our flooring project 2 years ago. Re-purposed bookshelf!
19 January 2012
Fire Starters
I saw this online years ago, I and I thought it would be a good idea. Homemade fire starters. I really have no use of these in our fireplace because the kindling is dry and the draw for the fireplace is so good. But outside fire pit's, camping or other such uses for a slow burning fire I figured I'd make some up.
I keep candles that the wicks have burned out, or the bottom sludges of wax from a tee light for just this purpose. The wax doesn't have to be clean like it would for cosmetics or lotion. Dirty ugly wax works just fine.
Ingredients for homemade fire starters:
Leftover wax
Cardboard egg cartons
Dryer lint ( I haven't used my dryer in about 4 years so I had to acquire this from my Mom.... or Neighbor Kara)
Heat source to melt the wax, I used an old pan and bowl to make a double boiler
Divide the dryer lint into the egg compartments and then pour the melted wax over them. There is no perfect amount of wax, just cover the lint. I had a bit too much wax, and it soaked into the cardboard too. Which isn't a bad thing, it will burn slowly allowing you to start your fire if the situation isn't perfect for fire starting. Wind, rain and other general weather. I haven't used these yet but I intend to this summer!
I keep candles that the wicks have burned out, or the bottom sludges of wax from a tee light for just this purpose. The wax doesn't have to be clean like it would for cosmetics or lotion. Dirty ugly wax works just fine.
Ingredients for homemade fire starters:
Leftover wax
Cardboard egg cartons
Dryer lint ( I haven't used my dryer in about 4 years so I had to acquire this from my Mom.... or Neighbor Kara)
Heat source to melt the wax, I used an old pan and bowl to make a double boiler
 |  |
Divide the dryer lint into the egg compartments and then pour the melted wax over them. There is no perfect amount of wax, just cover the lint. I had a bit too much wax, and it soaked into the cardboard too. Which isn't a bad thing, it will burn slowly allowing you to start your fire if the situation isn't perfect for fire starting. Wind, rain and other general weather. I haven't used these yet but I intend to this summer!
08 January 2012
Hunters Safety
Jake and I signed up for hunters safety yesterday. We're not sure if we intend to hunt but the class is free with a $10 refundable deposit, after you show up you get it back. We don't even have any guns yet and the last time I actually fired a gun was in 8th grade gym class (I grew up in Montana ok...). Hunters safety might turn into something or just be nothing, regardless it can't hurt.
05 January 2012
04 January 2012
Chickens on Strike
Since about late September our chickens have been on strike. We fought with them all year about going broody. Once a month each chicken would take it's turn at broodiness. We kept breaking them of it, only to have the cycle repeat. It got old. So by late summer early fall we decided to hell with ya'll just go broody then! I think we collected our last egg sometime the last week of September.
Broodiness was then followed by molting. To which one of my girls is just now growing back feathers. I thought we might loose her for a while there because she was so naked. Everyone has pulled through with a new coat of feathers and no baby chicks (big wonder there as we don't have rooster.)
Yesterday we found this:
It seems as though one of are girls has decided to cross the picket line. We have a scab on our hands! I thought for sure we wouldn't see any eggs from these girls ever again. I intended to put a few of them up for sale as many people are looking for a hen that will go broody. But the rest were going to meet the stew pot by April if they didn't get there act together. Possibly we won't have to worry about that because it looks like we might start seeing some production around here!
I'd love to get some fertilized eggs and stuff them under one of our girls just to see what happens, but I've been unable to find
any locally.
I heard some chicken grumbling a while ago, so there might be two eggs to put in here. I always find it amazing how loud they are after such a long stretch of quiet. At least my girls are quiet when they go broody/molt. They sure complain about egg laying whenever they actually get around to it.
Broodiness was then followed by molting. To which one of my girls is just now growing back feathers. I thought we might loose her for a while there because she was so naked. Everyone has pulled through with a new coat of feathers and no baby chicks (big wonder there as we don't have rooster.)
Yesterday we found this:
I'd love to get some fertilized eggs and stuff them under one of our girls just to see what happens, but I've been unable to find
any locally.
I heard some chicken grumbling a while ago, so there might be two eggs to put in here. I always find it amazing how loud they are after such a long stretch of quiet. At least my girls are quiet when they go broody/molt. They sure complain about egg laying whenever they actually get around to it.
01 January 2012
30 December 2011
Soap Making 2011
I did a soap making post a while back but I've never done an update on the recipe. So here we go.
Recipe:
In either ounces or grams, I use grams because I find it more precise and the math easier.
Water- 12 oz. or 366 g.
Lye NaOH- 5oz. or 143 g.
Coconut Oil- 12 oz. or 340 g.
Olive Oil- 12 oz. or 340 g.
Vegetable Oil (Crisco)- 10 oz. or 283 g. **
Combining temp: 120 degrees F
Time in mold: 48 hours
** I am aware of the destruction surrounding Palm oil which is the bulk of Crisco. I intend to change up this recipe and use mostly lard sourced from our local Farmer/Butcher. But I have to use up what I've purchased, thus the recipe above.
First thing I do is get my molds ready. I've used silicone cupcake molds, which work really well. But I just bought myself some no liner soap molds and I really want to try them out.
I put all my fats into one big bowl and set it on the fire to melt and warm up. Takes a bit longer this way than heating it on the stove but this way's more fun. The olive oil I used in this recipe is infused with St. Johns Wort, which gives it that lovely red color and sweet smell. It should not effect the recipe other than imparting the awesomeness of SJW to the soap.
Now I get my lye and water ready. I read that lye will absorb water from the air so I don't get it out and pre-measured like I normally would. I do measure my water, using cold water from the tap and put it in the fridge to stay cool. After the lye is added to the water an intense chemical reaction takes place. The water went from 60*F to 180*F in a matter of seconds. Always ADD LYE to WATER. NEVER THE OTHER WAY AROUND! It can splash more and accidentally burn you.
Safety is really important! I use goggles and yellow rubber gloves. I didn't use to wear anything, because I'm young and invincible. But then I read a blog post from Deborah over at Antiquity Oaks about her adventures in the ER after getting the Lye/water mixture in her eye. Needless to say I am convinced about safety and I now wear my oh so sexy goggles!
Ok back to soap... once the fats are nearly melted I'll go ahead and add the lye to water. The goal is to get both bowls (lye/water) and (fats) to the same temperature before combining them. As I said before, add lye to water. It will put off some serious vapors of which you don't want in your lungs. So I usually turn on the stove hood fan just before I put the lye in the water. I also cover my mouth with a towel just in case. Stir the lye/water until all the lye is dissolved. Then keep an eye on the temperature of both mixtures. The goal is 120*, the lye/water will have to cool to 120 and the fats will have to warm up to 120. Once that happens pour lye/water mixture into fats bowl and mix. I use my little hand mixer which is super awesome for this task. I've also used a big kitchen mixer. Whatever works.
After about 2 minutes the soap will trace. Trace meaning to go from runny watery oil/water/lye to something more like pudding consistency. When the mixer moves the soap concoction should leave "trace" lines. Like running a spoon through pudding, you can see where the spoons been (does that make any sense?) Whatever.
So pour that gloppy soap thing into a mold. When I added the lye to fat it turned a horrid color of pea green. The really pretty red color imparted by the SJW turned green when the lye hit it. Which is fine because the soap should dry and cure out to be a softy green/yellow.
I added a small strip of parchment paper to my new mold. It isn't required but it should help me lift the soap out of the mold when it's done curing.
It has to be in the molds for 48 hours in order to have firmed up enough to handle. Also with these molds it forms an air lock so there is no getting it out before it's ready anyway.
This mold is a 3-4 pound size, molds come in many different sizes. This recipe fills one mold.
Recipe:
In either ounces or grams, I use grams because I find it more precise and the math easier.
Water- 12 oz. or 366 g.
Lye NaOH- 5oz. or 143 g.
Coconut Oil- 12 oz. or 340 g.
Olive Oil- 12 oz. or 340 g.
Vegetable Oil (Crisco)- 10 oz. or 283 g. **
Combining temp: 120 degrees F
Time in mold: 48 hours
** I am aware of the destruction surrounding Palm oil which is the bulk of Crisco. I intend to change up this recipe and use mostly lard sourced from our local Farmer/Butcher. But I have to use up what I've purchased, thus the recipe above.
First thing I do is get my molds ready. I've used silicone cupcake molds, which work really well. But I just bought myself some no liner soap molds and I really want to try them out.
I put all my fats into one big bowl and set it on the fire to melt and warm up. Takes a bit longer this way than heating it on the stove but this way's more fun. The olive oil I used in this recipe is infused with St. Johns Wort, which gives it that lovely red color and sweet smell. It should not effect the recipe other than imparting the awesomeness of SJW to the soap.
 |
Now I get my lye and water ready. I read that lye will absorb water from the air so I don't get it out and pre-measured like I normally would. I do measure my water, using cold water from the tap and put it in the fridge to stay cool. After the lye is added to the water an intense chemical reaction takes place. The water went from 60*F to 180*F in a matter of seconds. Always ADD LYE to WATER. NEVER THE OTHER WAY AROUND! It can splash more and accidentally burn you.
Ok back to soap... once the fats are nearly melted I'll go ahead and add the lye to water. The goal is to get both bowls (lye/water) and (fats) to the same temperature before combining them. As I said before, add lye to water. It will put off some serious vapors of which you don't want in your lungs. So I usually turn on the stove hood fan just before I put the lye in the water. I also cover my mouth with a towel just in case. Stir the lye/water until all the lye is dissolved. Then keep an eye on the temperature of both mixtures. The goal is 120*, the lye/water will have to cool to 120 and the fats will have to warm up to 120. Once that happens pour lye/water mixture into fats bowl and mix. I use my little hand mixer which is super awesome for this task. I've also used a big kitchen mixer. Whatever works.
After about 2 minutes the soap will trace. Trace meaning to go from runny watery oil/water/lye to something more like pudding consistency. When the mixer moves the soap concoction should leave "trace" lines. Like running a spoon through pudding, you can see where the spoons been (does that make any sense?) Whatever.
So pour that gloppy soap thing into a mold. When I added the lye to fat it turned a horrid color of pea green. The really pretty red color imparted by the SJW turned green when the lye hit it. Which is fine because the soap should dry and cure out to be a softy green/yellow.
It has to be in the molds for 48 hours in order to have firmed up enough to handle. Also with these molds it forms an air lock so there is no getting it out before it's ready anyway.
This mold is a 3-4 pound size, molds come in many different sizes. This recipe fills one mold.
26 December 2011
An Idea: the 52 week project
I came across a blog a few weeks ago where a gal took a picture per week and posted it. She called it her 52 week project. I think I'd like to do something similar. Lately I've been struggling with topics and I've been on a blogging hiatus. I read all my fellow bloggers though, faithfully. I just seem to have nothing to say.
I wondered if this 52 week project would get me motivated again. Most people use the 52 wk. project to enhance their photography skills. I might use it to do a snapshot of what's going on around here. Not to say I wouldn't do regular posts too but this might keep me inspired.
We've made some changes around here, the blog for one and on the farm too, namely our new wood stove. I've done some sewing projects to make window quilts and have been learning to play the guitar too! I really used to hate winter but now I love it, whole weekends when planning happens instead of farming.
I wondered if this 52 week project would get me motivated again. Most people use the 52 wk. project to enhance their photography skills. I might use it to do a snapshot of what's going on around here. Not to say I wouldn't do regular posts too but this might keep me inspired.
We've made some changes around here, the blog for one and on the farm too, namely our new wood stove. I've done some sewing projects to make window quilts and have been learning to play the guitar too! I really used to hate winter but now I love it, whole weekends when planning happens instead of farming.
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