Follow through with your chickens

This week my sis-in-law shared this article [You Absolutely Should Not Get Backyard Chickens] with me. I thought it was pretty well written, and worth sharing with you all.

We've had our flock for about 4 years now, and have had chickens come and go. When I first started, I'd sell off my older flock, to someone who wanted cheap laying hens, fully disclosing they had already laid eggs for 2 years. Then we decided we'd eat the non-layer, like our extra roosters and older hens. We quickly discovered that they were scrawny and tough, compared to the VERY yummy cornish cross meat chickens we raised.

Meat chickens, only about 6 weeks old.

Now we retire chickens systematically by butchering them once their laying slacks off, and putting them in the freezer. When I have a few saved up I fill up the stock pot and make stewed chicken and broth. This winter we all caught influenza A, and we were amazed at how much more quickly we recovered while sipping yummy home made chicken broth! It's always hard to decide when it is time to let an old hen go, but this is really part of the whole process here, and we have to follow through.

2011 Fair, T's favorite chicken.

I recently went out and put leg bands on the hens who were no longer laying well (having gone through about 2 molts), so my hubby would know who to take when he had time to work on it. I had to band all of the green egg layers, including a special fair chicken of my son's. I told Tyler about it so he wouldn't be surprised, and he seemed ok with it. Later he went out to do his chores and came back declaring that he'd removed her band. That hen has achieved pet status. :) Guess we'd better name her.

For the record, my kids name their chickens all the time, but it doesn't stop us from eating them. :) Wyatt named the entire meat flock "Wyatt Junior" once. I'm not sure how to take that! All I know is that my kids are really comfortable with where their food comes from. I've heard Emma coo to a soft fluffy chick... "Ooooh, you're gonna taste so good when you get big!" And I think I've shared here before that once Mayda was wearing a chick all around the house on her shoulder like a parrot. When I asked her why she confided in me that "I feel bad for him; he's a fryer."

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Photo Scavenger Hunt: Fall into Nature

This fall we decided to do a little photo scavenger hunt for the signs of fall. What a beautiful day it was. 

Dried up dead garden.

Even the kochia weed (my allergy nemesis) was pink and pretty

Corn ready for harvest.

Corn husks to mulch my flower beds.. provided by the Nebraska wind.

Leaves!

Cold!

Freezing nights make my sedum turn red.

Walnuts

Kittens (although I suspect they are a sign of all seasons...)

Join us on a fall blog cruise? Goes live, Tuesday morning.

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Canning Tomatoes 101

I'm no expert in all things domestic, but I am wild about trying and trying until you get it right. I've been canning tomatoes and salsa since my mom taught me when I was a young girl. Even so, I learn new things all the time. This past week I've been dealing with the bountiful (albeit late) harvest of tomatoes we are finally getting. I planted everything late, so I'm thrilled that our frost held off 2 weeks past our usual "first frost" date.

This time I decided to compare the cold/raw-pack method vs. the hot-pack method of canning tomatoes. The first steps are the same, so lets go over them:

Blanching, peeling, and dicing tomatoes (or slice, if you prefer).

To peel your tomatoes easily, blanch the skins. This is SO easy, just wash your tomatoes, and I usually work in  batches of 6-8 (whatever fits in your pot). Prepare boiling water and a pot of icy water as well. Carefully immerse your tomatoes in the boiling water for about 60 seconds, then transfer to the ice water using a slotted spoon. Once they have cooled, they are very easy to peel. The peels come off in just a few pieces, even easier than peaches.  Here's a video of peeling, for those of you who wonder if you can do it:

Ok, so you have your tomatoes ready; do you hot pack or cold pack? To hot pack is essentially to boil the tomatoes and then can them into sterilized jars, and then you water bath only a short time. To cold (or raw) pack, you fill sterile jars with the tomatoes as they are, and then water bath for a longer period of time, to cook through.

For both situations I washed the jars and then boiled them in my water bath canning pot briefly. I also added a tespoon of sea salt to each jar. Filling each jar to 1/2 inch from the top with no air pockets, and wiping the rims to ensure they are clean, then capping with a new lid and ring. I also dip the lid in the boiling water to soften the rubber seal.

So, the raw packed jars then went into the canning pot and were covered with water (over their tops by about an 1"), and boiled for 35 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts. Also, you need to add time for your elevation, so I added 5 minutes. While those were going I prepared the hot pack jars, boiling the tomatoes and then ladling them into the hot jars, sealing, and processing (boiling them in the canning pot, covered with water again) for 10-12 minutes (adding a minute or two for elevation).

The results were: The raw/cold packed tomatoes actually cooked down more, and separated more of the pulp from the juice. If you were shooting for firmer diced or whole tomatoes, this may not be your best choice. They could be shaken up once cooled, but it was still a looser mix. Great for soups and stews. The hot packed were already a bit soft from boiling first, but didn't process as long, so overall stayed firmer. There will be good for casseroles and such, where I want to see tomato chunks.

All processing times are from the Better Homes and Gardens Home Canning Cook Book, and are only my retelling of my own experiences. Be sure you know how to approach home canning safely, and always be careful when working with food preservation, not to mention working with boiling water. :)




Linked:

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

A Farm Field Trip

Last week we visited a local organic farm and CSA, which also has a biodynamic seed operation. The kids had a great time (ok, I did too!) seeing what goes into the seed collection process. We often don't think much past going to the store, buying a pack of seeds, and ripping it open.

We first looked at biennial seeds, such as carrots. The kids never thought much about planting actual carrots back into the ground to get a flowing plant in the fall.

After that we helped harvest potatoes, some of which can be seed potatoes for next year. They had the most beautiful purple potatoes! Inside they were almost as purple as beets. Crazy! At our house we save the "too small" potatoes from the garden to plant again. I believe the potatoes in my garden are 3rd generation replants. :)

While harvesting potatoes, the kids found several "woolly bear" caterpillars.  Wyatt said this one liked his belly button. Silly boy.

Next we harvested bean seeds. It was fun collecting the pods into dry buckets. We were able to help them harvest the entire crop with all the little hands to help.

At the end the showed us the wet process of harvesting the tomato seeds. We found out that fermenting the tomato pulp is a very important part of the process, leading to good germination rates in the tomato seed. It was truly amazing!

We were so thankful to Nathan and Beth for showing us around (again). :)


©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

WW: Why I live here...

Linked:

 

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Times and Seasons

pregnant Fluffy, due any moment.

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-5

1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

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©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Review: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder

We had the joy of receiving a copy of the DVD Little House on the Prairie: The Legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder from Legacy Documentaries. It is a wonderful video for all ages, although best enjoyed by kids old enough to enjoy the books, and sells for $24.95.

This is produced by Dean Butler:

". . . an actor and producer best known to audiences for his portrayal of Almanzo Wilder in the long running family drama, Little House On The Prairie. Little House has been called one of the finest family dramas in television history." ~from the website.

At a little over an hour (75 minutes), it was an enjoyable ramble through a biography I thought I knew... but didn't! My younger kids lost interest quickly (ages 5 and 7), but my bigger kids were enthralled. We've read a good number of Wilder's books, and thought we knew all about her life through them. We were wrong.

This movie tells Laura's life as it really was. I had no idea she didn't start writing until she was much older. I also didn't know how many times she and Almanzo had moved around the country. When they couldn't afford to work their farm and raise their only daughter, they sent her to live with her Aunt Eliza. But when their daughter became a successful writer, she decided to "teach" her mother to write, as a means to earn an income.

The movie follows the ups and downs of the real Laura's life, and shows how she grew and developed to become the revolutionary writer that she was. It tells of how the Great Depression nearly killed her opportunity to get her first book published, and about how many times her manuscripts were rejected. She was determined and re-wrote them and tried again. She was brave and willing to blaze a new trail, on the prairie, and in the world of children's literature. I finished the movie in awe of this American icon.

One tid-bit I especially loved was that one of her earliest published pieces was on the topic of chickens. So wonderful! I always knew the other Laura had a heart like mine. :)

Emma finished the movie excited to get the rest of the way through the books. We had just been given several of them just a few weeks ago. The weekend following our watching this film, Emma had to create a decorated bicycle for our local parade. Is it any wonder that this is what she settled on?!

Bottom Line:
For anyone who is a fan of the Little House series on TV or in print, this film is a must watch. It was better than I had expected, and very enjoyable. The quality and music are top notch, and it is definitely worth owning. I am SO thankful we had the opportunity to review this DVD.

To read more reviews on this DVD and also on Almanzo Wilder: Life Before Laura, be sure to visit the Crew Blog:


©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

*Prices and links are accurate at the time this is published, and are subject to change.

WW: A walk in the garden

Mid July

rhubarb seeds

Early July

 

@ 5 minutes for mom

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

WW: Kitten Snuggles

 

@ 5 minutes for mom

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Late Season Fryers

This year we will be taking fryers to the fair. We have some cute layers too, but the fryers will be our bread and butter, pardon the pun. :)

This year only meat birds can go in the auction ring. The 4H auction is where the kids earn the money for caring for their animals all year round. They manage their money, and it's been a GREAT learning experience. In previous years we have auctioned off a pretty looking hen, but this year, the cornish cross get the spotlight.

These chickens have been bred to grow fast, and to make a lot of meat, not for beauty. They routinely outgrow their feathers, just because they grow SO fat and fast. Even so, they are cute in their own way. This year we are raising 10. Last year we had 115 (but earlier in the season, just for meat), so the 10 feel like no work at all. They have become Emma's main chore, and she seems to be loving it.

Read about last year's meat birds (more recent post to oldest):

• Chicken Processing - and a fried chicken recipe
• Chicks' New Play Yard
• One Month Old -Fryer Chick update
• Chicks - 19 days old
• Chicken update - 12 days old
• Chic Pic
• Chicks are here!
• Waiting on [chicken] Babies

©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

Review: Baker Publishing Group, Lily Books (fiction)

We were so thankful that Baker Publishing Group sent us free copies of the two first books in their Lily Lapp series: Life with Lily and A New Home for Lily. These books are written at a 8-12 year old reading level, but I actually enjoyed them completely as an adult. They both sell for $12.99.

I was particularly excited to get these books, as I grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, home of MANY Amish and Mennonite folk. As a child we used to joke that you could find our house because it was the only one (on our street) with power lines running to it. I ran around with my barefoot Mennonite friend on my neighbors' farm, and I witnessed their life firsthand. As a 7 year old in that world, I saw many of the same things Lily Lapp did. These books were a delicious retreat into my own childhood!

I must also note, I very rarely read Amish fiction. Whenever I do I am disappointed that it is just another fictional author trying to capitalize on the popularity and fascination the public has for these amazing simplistic folk. These books were a delightful surprise. The facts and stories are accurate and real, drawing from Mary Ann Kinsinger's own real life childhood memories.

My daughter, Emma, and I read these books. We actually raced to finish the first book, and Emma beat me through it, winning a candy bar in the bet. ;) I finished the second book before her. I had to win once. It was easy to do. Though the first book is 280 pages, and the second one is 264, they are light and enjoyable reading, and I was through them in a flash.

The first book, Life with Lily, introduces Lily Lapp as a five year old girl, living in New York. Her Amish community is tight knit, and her family is young, but growing. In fact she and her younger brother are surprised with a new baby brother early in first chapter. I am friends with a midwife to the Amish, and I know first hand that babies are always a surprise. They never speak of their coming, and I've heard the comment that children even think maybe the midwife brought the baby in her bag! I loved how they portray this in the story, as a special surprise gift from God. As Lily grows and learns new lessons, they are told from her perspective. It's a beautiful inside look at life as she learns about school, friendship choices, hard work, financial hardship, and big changes. It is all painted into the setting of the simple farm life the Amish lead, and their Faith intertwining with their life on every level.

The second book, A New Home for Lily, begins with another big change, as Lily's family moves to Pennsylvania. She has to begin in a new school, and make new friends. Her family has to adjust to a new church, with slightly different rules. They never complain, and they teach Lily to love and serve in a way that honors her Faith. Her family grows again, as her third brother arrives, and many other changes in her life take place. The story line follows her intense disdain for a little boy in her school who teases her. Yet in the end of the book, her kindness to him helps bringing their community together in new and special ways. The book ends with her entering the 4th grade. I think this book was the best of the two. Now I'm anxious to read the 3rd book in the series, due out in July.

We also enjoyed exploring the website, The Adventures of Lily Lapp, where there are quizzes, games, contests and giveaways. Be sure you hop over there too!

Bottom Line:
I loved these books, and while they are fiction, I found them to be very accurate to REAL life. My daughter loved them too. They are factual, yet entertaining. Colorful and delicious (oh the food!), they are filled with Faith and family love. For a good story, and a window on a lifestyle we don't see often, they hit the mark. I would recommend them to any young girl, like the one inside me. ;)

(PS:  I really do try and come up with pros and cons on every review, but this is my HONEST opinion: these were just plain good! No big agenda, or anything, but very entertaining and a bit educational.)




To read other's thoughts on these two books, visit the Crew Blog!


©2012-2013 Loving and Learning on the High Plains. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://www.homeschoolhighplains.blogspot.com

*Prices and links are accurate at the time this is published, and are subject to change.