I happened to be the first one up this morning. I went outside to let the horses out and found a layer of ice almost an inch thick on their water trough. No surprise there. Yeoldfurt had to break and remove ice from the trough twice yesterday.
When I let the horses out, I decided to walk to the pond and see how frozen it might be. I expected ice around the edges but it's over 10 feet deep in the middle, so I didn't expect it to be completely frozen over. Wrong. It looked to be frozen all the way across. There was a chunk of wood the size of a small fireplace log laying at my feet, so I picked it up and lobbed it out toward the center of the pond. The log had to weigh at least 5 or 6 pounds and it dropped from a height of about 6 feet when it hit the pond... kerTHUNK! Didn't even crack the surface ice. I'm sure the ice is not thick enough to bear my weight so don't suggest ice skating ...but it was a good deal more solid than I was expecting.
On my way back to the house, I stopped to let the chickens out. I was worried they might have frozen feet from something MMPaints told me in chat last night. But they were okay. They had each left me an egg and were walking around like normal, anxious to be let out. Their water was frozen though. Not in the reservoir, but in the trough ring around the bottom where they should be able to drink. I broke and removed the ice from the ring and moved the waterer closer to the heat lamp in the coop. Tonight will only be in the 20's (versus last night in the teens) so maybe their water will not freeze tonight.
When I got back up to the house, I took the eggs inside and was going to fill a bucket of water to carry outside for the dog, cats and chickens in the yard. That's when I discovered OUR water was frozen ...in the house. Uh-oh. I've never had frozen pipes before and Yeoldfurt was still asleep. Didn't want to wake him with bad news, so I went online to do some research. Every site I read suggested checking all the taps to determine if water was frozen at some juncture in the house ...or outside between the main and the house. None of the taps would even drip so, according to the online information, that meant water was probably frozen somewhere outside. This house is very well insulated, even in the attic so it would have surprised me if the house pipes had frozen. The online sites said to open the coldwater taps halfway so I did.
Thank goodness for Yeoldfurt's prepper mentality. He had about a dozen old clorox bottles labeled drinking water stored down in the shop. I took the wheelbarrow down and brought six of them up to the house. Two for each of the bathrooms for that all-important flush water. And the other three so I could make sure all the little critters had water until things thawed out. We also have several cases of store-bought bottled water down in the shop. So we're fine.
Yeoldfurt was up and drinking coffee by the time I finished all that and I got to give him the exciting news ...frozen pipe adventure. Hopefully it will not morph into a busted pipe adventure. He did some investigating of his own and he agrees, the the problem is most likely close to the water main up by the road. That makes sense because the hole around the water main is about 2 feet by 2 feet, with about 12 inches of pipe exposed to the air inside that hole. The hole is covered over by a piece of steel plate. Steel is an excellent conductor of cold and so is open air. The pipe coming to the house is buried at least 18 inches in the ground so it is probably the exposed pipe at the main that froze.
The temperatures should be close to 40 degrees by noon today and 45 degrees for a high around 3:00pm. Hopefully, that will be enough to thaw the pipes. In the meantime, we'll be grateful for a warm house, stored water and plenty of food stores. No worries.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Are You Sure??
AKA Angrywhiteman commented on my last post (Some Advice for the New Year) that I had neglected to back up my claims with any factual references. He was absolutely right to call me out on the matter since the post before was about the ripple effect of perpetuating false or unverified information. His comment was well-meaning and had a humorous tone but his point was well taken. I spent a good while typing a response to his comment only to find that Blogger limits how much we can put in the comment box. So this post was born. I can't cite any references other than my own intellect and intuition but I will do my best to argue the validity of each of the points made in my previous post.
"The past year has sped by. Sometimes, we could barely keep up. "
The year did go by very quickly and was a very hard race to run in many respects ...at least for me. I think that's true for the country as well. Our rights and freedoms are being eroded on every front ...the government wants to control every facet of our lives. The issue of gun control has escalated to the real possibility of outright confiscation. Census workers are being taught to tell citizens that the authority for the questions they ask are granted by the U.S. Constitution. The census workers themselves (the two I talked to) were ignorant enough about the Constitution to believe it! (I gave them each a pocket-sized copy to read.) The government has long been involved in regulating big business including large agricultural concerns. But now they want to regulate backyard gardens and Farmers Markets. And when law-abiding citizens rally to make their objections heard, they are belittled by the likes of Nancy Pelosi. What did she say ...that we need to 'shut up and pay our taxes?' Excuse me?? The rate of spending by this administration makes the two Bush administrations look downright frugal in comparison. Already our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren will be paying the hefty price for this administration's first year in office. How many more of our future generations will be weighed down by overwhelming debt over the next three years??
"Now we need to be ready to face whatever lies ahead."
We stockpile the things we need because we see lean times ahead. Limitations of storage space force us to constantly weigh the difference between 'want' and 'need' and choose between the two. With every hike in the cost of fuel and food and utilities, we are again forced to choose carefully how we spend our dwindling resources. But being prepared to face what lies ahead is our fundamental philosophy on life as preppers, right? So 'nough said on that one.
"There are bound to risks and surprises."
We shouldn't expect all of them to be pleasant but we can't let them dissuade us either. Just fluff yourself up, bare your teeth and face the threat ...whatever it is.
"But we must press onward and upward."
YES, we absolutely SHOULD press onward and upward. If that itty bitty kitty can aspire to climb that great big tree, who are we to wimp out on our own life challenges?
"Always alert, always at the ready."
Alert and ready is, again, what we preach as preppers. You can't prepare for what you don't see coming. We have to pay careful attention to what goes on around us in our own towns as well as what goes on in Washington DC ...especially what goes on in DC! I believe in destiny but I'm not a fatalist. We can affect our own future in this world, but only if we are cognizant of opportunities as they present themselves and alert to dangers along the way.
"The Buddy System is still a good idea."
Didn't most of us first learn about the Buddy System in Kindergarten? Some of the best things are taught in kindergarten....someone did a poster on that once. Having someone who will watch your back is such a comfort in troubled times. The extremes of life, the best and the worst times, are best when shared with a true friend.
"Charge over obstacles."
Perhaps I should have labeled that picture 'Leap of Faith.' If we didn't have to make a bit of a leap from time to time, where would our faith be? We need to believe in our God-given abilities and charge ahead!
"Know where your feet are at all times."
Do you know why why mules are better than horses in treacherous terrain? Because a mule can actually SEE where each of his feet are and will never willingly put himself in real danger. If the mule you're riding is careful not to get hurt, chances are he won't get you hurt either. That is why a mule has the reputation for being surefooted. But that is also why a mule has the reputation for being stubborn. A horse's eyes are placed differently, creating a blind spot directly in front of the horse for a distance of several feet. Yet a well-trained horse has such trust and confidence in their rider that they'll willing charge full speed ahead or turn on a dime at the slightest cue from the rider. The horse is an example of the kind of faith WE ought to have in our Master.
"Ever cautious."
It is important to be cautious if we are to overcome obstacles. But we can't let caution make us afraid to get our feet wet. We can't succeed if we don't try.
"Face your Goliaths."
We each have our own Goliaths, some of us have several. It might be an outside influence (or person or circumstance) that would control our destiny or limit our joy ...if we let it. The toughest Goliaths though are the ones that dwell within us ...the fears and self-doubts that dampen our enthusiasm for all life has to offer and rob us of our fullness of joy. These Goliaths are the hardest to fight but they are also the most rewarding to overcome.
"But remember to laugh often."
Wasn't it the late Art Linkletter who said 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' ...he wrote a book by that title, I believe. He was absolutely and profoundly right. A good belly laugh exercises every muscle in the trunk of your body, including your heart and lungs. It does wonders for your outlook as well. Learning to laugh at yourself is an art worth acquiring.
"Stick together through thick and thin."
Ahh, sticking together. That seems to be a lost concept these days. People seem ready to throw it all away every time they hit a a few snags. They have stress at work and they want to look for another job. Their vehicle that they paid off two years ago needs a costly repair and they would rather trade it in for a new one. Divide that costly repair estimate by the average monthly car payment and it won't seem so bad. But in with the old, out with the new has been the trend for decades now. When did we learn as a society that the most valid response to a problem is to run away? That's exactly what we teach countless others when we do that with our own problems. Every action we take (or don't take) sends a message to those around us about what's 'normal' ...what's acceptable and appropriate. I think we owe it to ourselves to work at our problems and we owe it to the younger generation (who IS watching) to set an example of courage, tenacity and perseverance.
"And most of all, take good care of each other."
This one really speaks for itself, doesn't it? A relationship ...whether it's friendship or marriage or a co-worker ...should NOT be just a 50-50 proposition. It should be 100-100....if you BOTH commit 100 percent of yourself to taking care of the other party, everybody is happy, everybody is secure. That's how it ought to be, don't you agree?
I guess now you can see why this didn't quite fit in the little comment box! I realize that I have not cited any but myself as a reference on these matters. But I do believe I made some pretty convincing arguments. : )
"The past year has sped by. Sometimes, we could barely keep up. "
The year did go by very quickly and was a very hard race to run in many respects ...at least for me. I think that's true for the country as well. Our rights and freedoms are being eroded on every front ...the government wants to control every facet of our lives. The issue of gun control has escalated to the real possibility of outright confiscation. Census workers are being taught to tell citizens that the authority for the questions they ask are granted by the U.S. Constitution. The census workers themselves (the two I talked to) were ignorant enough about the Constitution to believe it! (I gave them each a pocket-sized copy to read.) The government has long been involved in regulating big business including large agricultural concerns. But now they want to regulate backyard gardens and Farmers Markets. And when law-abiding citizens rally to make their objections heard, they are belittled by the likes of Nancy Pelosi. What did she say ...that we need to 'shut up and pay our taxes?' Excuse me?? The rate of spending by this administration makes the two Bush administrations look downright frugal in comparison. Already our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren will be paying the hefty price for this administration's first year in office. How many more of our future generations will be weighed down by overwhelming debt over the next three years??
"Now we need to be ready to face whatever lies ahead."
We stockpile the things we need because we see lean times ahead. Limitations of storage space force us to constantly weigh the difference between 'want' and 'need' and choose between the two. With every hike in the cost of fuel and food and utilities, we are again forced to choose carefully how we spend our dwindling resources. But being prepared to face what lies ahead is our fundamental philosophy on life as preppers, right? So 'nough said on that one.
"There are bound to risks and surprises."
We shouldn't expect all of them to be pleasant but we can't let them dissuade us either. Just fluff yourself up, bare your teeth and face the threat ...whatever it is.
"But we must press onward and upward."
YES, we absolutely SHOULD press onward and upward. If that itty bitty kitty can aspire to climb that great big tree, who are we to wimp out on our own life challenges?
"Always alert, always at the ready."
Alert and ready is, again, what we preach as preppers. You can't prepare for what you don't see coming. We have to pay careful attention to what goes on around us in our own towns as well as what goes on in Washington DC ...especially what goes on in DC! I believe in destiny but I'm not a fatalist. We can affect our own future in this world, but only if we are cognizant of opportunities as they present themselves and alert to dangers along the way.
"The Buddy System is still a good idea."
Didn't most of us first learn about the Buddy System in Kindergarten? Some of the best things are taught in kindergarten....someone did a poster on that once. Having someone who will watch your back is such a comfort in troubled times. The extremes of life, the best and the worst times, are best when shared with a true friend.
"Charge over obstacles."
Perhaps I should have labeled that picture 'Leap of Faith.' If we didn't have to make a bit of a leap from time to time, where would our faith be? We need to believe in our God-given abilities and charge ahead!
"Know where your feet are at all times."
Do you know why why mules are better than horses in treacherous terrain? Because a mule can actually SEE where each of his feet are and will never willingly put himself in real danger. If the mule you're riding is careful not to get hurt, chances are he won't get you hurt either. That is why a mule has the reputation for being surefooted. But that is also why a mule has the reputation for being stubborn. A horse's eyes are placed differently, creating a blind spot directly in front of the horse for a distance of several feet. Yet a well-trained horse has such trust and confidence in their rider that they'll willing charge full speed ahead or turn on a dime at the slightest cue from the rider. The horse is an example of the kind of faith WE ought to have in our Master.
"Ever cautious."
It is important to be cautious if we are to overcome obstacles. But we can't let caution make us afraid to get our feet wet. We can't succeed if we don't try.
"Face your Goliaths."
We each have our own Goliaths, some of us have several. It might be an outside influence (or person or circumstance) that would control our destiny or limit our joy ...if we let it. The toughest Goliaths though are the ones that dwell within us ...the fears and self-doubts that dampen our enthusiasm for all life has to offer and rob us of our fullness of joy. These Goliaths are the hardest to fight but they are also the most rewarding to overcome.
"But remember to laugh often."
Wasn't it the late Art Linkletter who said 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' ...he wrote a book by that title, I believe. He was absolutely and profoundly right. A good belly laugh exercises every muscle in the trunk of your body, including your heart and lungs. It does wonders for your outlook as well. Learning to laugh at yourself is an art worth acquiring.
"Stick together through thick and thin."
Ahh, sticking together. That seems to be a lost concept these days. People seem ready to throw it all away every time they hit a a few snags. They have stress at work and they want to look for another job. Their vehicle that they paid off two years ago needs a costly repair and they would rather trade it in for a new one. Divide that costly repair estimate by the average monthly car payment and it won't seem so bad. But in with the old, out with the new has been the trend for decades now. When did we learn as a society that the most valid response to a problem is to run away? That's exactly what we teach countless others when we do that with our own problems. Every action we take (or don't take) sends a message to those around us about what's 'normal' ...what's acceptable and appropriate. I think we owe it to ourselves to work at our problems and we owe it to the younger generation (who IS watching) to set an example of courage, tenacity and perseverance.
"And most of all, take good care of each other."
This one really speaks for itself, doesn't it? A relationship ...whether it's friendship or marriage or a co-worker ...should NOT be just a 50-50 proposition. It should be 100-100....if you BOTH commit 100 percent of yourself to taking care of the other party, everybody is happy, everybody is secure. That's how it ought to be, don't you agree?
I guess now you can see why this didn't quite fit in the little comment box! I realize that I have not cited any but myself as a reference on these matters. But I do believe I made some pretty convincing arguments. : )
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Some Advice for the New Year
The past year has sped by.
Sometimes, we could barely keep up.
Sometimes, we could barely keep up.
Now we need to be ready to face whatever lies ahead.
There are bound to risks and surprises.
But we must press onward and upward.
Always alert, always at the ready.
The Buddy System is still a good idea.
Charge over obstacles.
But keep your balance.
Ever cautious.
Face your Goliaths.
But remember to laugh often.
Stick together through thick and thin.
And most of all, take good care of each other.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
The Hazards of Going Off Half-Cocked
We're all guilty of misstating the facts from time to time. Most of the time, it's unintentional and the damage is negligible. But sometimes it's blatant and motivated simply by a desire to fit in, to be part of the crowd or at least the conversation. It's a dangerous practice though. Some people make life-changing decisions based on information they hear from what they consider trusted sources and without bothering to research or confirm the information themselves. The ripple effect of false or unverified information can have devastating results.
These are serious times and I think when serious subjects are being bantered about, we should take extra care to do our research and get our facts straight before we state them as such. If you want to reference an event in order to make a point, make sure you know what you're talking about. Having someone tell you such-and-such happened does not necessarily mean it did. The person who told you may have been told by someone else ...who was told by someone else ...we all know how the old game of Post Office went.
Part of the prepper mentality is to always be mining information from a variety of sources. We love to find and share new information. That's one of the things I love most about the prepper movement. I'm just suggesting that we should all take very seriously our responsibility in gathering and sharing information. If you discover something new, check it out before you share it on your blog or in one of the chat forums. Research the information itself, research the source of the information. Make it your mission to prove or disprove the information. Only when you are completely satisfied should you share it.
These are serious times and I think when serious subjects are being bantered about, we should take extra care to do our research and get our facts straight before we state them as such. If you want to reference an event in order to make a point, make sure you know what you're talking about. Having someone tell you such-and-such happened does not necessarily mean it did. The person who told you may have been told by someone else ...who was told by someone else ...we all know how the old game of Post Office went.
Part of the prepper mentality is to always be mining information from a variety of sources. We love to find and share new information. That's one of the things I love most about the prepper movement. I'm just suggesting that we should all take very seriously our responsibility in gathering and sharing information. If you discover something new, check it out before you share it on your blog or in one of the chat forums. Research the information itself, research the source of the information. Make it your mission to prove or disprove the information. Only when you are completely satisfied should you share it.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Getting on with My Life
Two weeks ago, I stepped out of my moonboot and back into my life. The splint in my riding boot works well whether I'm afoot or on horseback. I rode my horse for an hour or so on Saturday and could sure feel it when I got up this morning. The next day, I decided all my 'hinges' must have been rusty ...I sure was stiff until I had been moving around for a little while. My ankle was fine, thanks to the splint, but my knees and hips were complaining a little until I got limbered up. Such is life after 50, right? No big deal.
Yeoldfurt and I rode our horses that afternoon and we both rode his older retired mare for a few minutes that evening. She had been acting a little colicky at feeding time so we took her to the round pen to move her around a little. That was what she needed to get things moving in her gut again. We took turns riding her. She normally adamantly objects to being saddled since she takes her retirement status very seriously ...but she actually seemed to enjoy herself. She got over acting colicky so that was the important thing.
I went to see my regular doctor the next day to ask him to help me find a surgeon who would be willing to actually DO something about my problem. I sure was disappointed in his response. He didn't want to even refer me, saying I had already had two opinions ...his and the doctor in Temple who wanted me to live the rest of my life in brace and walk with a cane. He said the insurance company would never approve another referral. He finally agreed to try though and I have an appointment on January 5th with a surgeon in College Station. I've got my fingers crossed.
In the meantime, I'm enjoying my weekends without the moonboot. I'm careful and wear my splint if I am going to be doing anything strenuous. Yesterday, was an indoor day, spent mostly making bread. But today we're going to work outside all day. First on the list is the garden. I have one 4x8 section with onion sets in it. The other seven section are empty except for a few weeds. We'll take care of the weeds, turn all the soil, work in some compost, then cover them with a tarp until the next time we compost or it's time for planting. Yeoldfurt is going to bring up a few wheelbarrows of well aged manure from the paddock and we'll mix in the big bucket of coffee grounds we've been saving for this purpose. We plan to do this at least one more time before we plant. We brought in good soil when we built the raised bed but even the best soil benefits from good compost material every year.
After the garden is done, there are three trees downed from the windstorms the past couple of weeks and lots of brush to be cut and hauled. One of the trees is a huge oak that has been dead for a couple of years. The whole tree isn't down (yet) but it lost some huge branches and we will salvage some of that wood for the fireplace. The other two trees are an Arizona ash and a pine tree. The pine tree will be too sappy for the fireplace, so it will just get hauled to the burn pile. The ash might be okay for the fireplace. We'll see.
I am hopeful that the surgeon I see next week will have some better options for me. Maybe someday I won't have a choice about the brace and a cane, but I darn sure have a choice now and I say NO.
Yeoldfurt and I rode our horses that afternoon and we both rode his older retired mare for a few minutes that evening. She had been acting a little colicky at feeding time so we took her to the round pen to move her around a little. That was what she needed to get things moving in her gut again. We took turns riding her. She normally adamantly objects to being saddled since she takes her retirement status very seriously ...but she actually seemed to enjoy herself. She got over acting colicky so that was the important thing.
I went to see my regular doctor the next day to ask him to help me find a surgeon who would be willing to actually DO something about my problem. I sure was disappointed in his response. He didn't want to even refer me, saying I had already had two opinions ...his and the doctor in Temple who wanted me to live the rest of my life in brace and walk with a cane. He said the insurance company would never approve another referral. He finally agreed to try though and I have an appointment on January 5th with a surgeon in College Station. I've got my fingers crossed.
In the meantime, I'm enjoying my weekends without the moonboot. I'm careful and wear my splint if I am going to be doing anything strenuous. Yesterday, was an indoor day, spent mostly making bread. But today we're going to work outside all day. First on the list is the garden. I have one 4x8 section with onion sets in it. The other seven section are empty except for a few weeds. We'll take care of the weeds, turn all the soil, work in some compost, then cover them with a tarp until the next time we compost or it's time for planting. Yeoldfurt is going to bring up a few wheelbarrows of well aged manure from the paddock and we'll mix in the big bucket of coffee grounds we've been saving for this purpose. We plan to do this at least one more time before we plant. We brought in good soil when we built the raised bed but even the best soil benefits from good compost material every year.
After the garden is done, there are three trees downed from the windstorms the past couple of weeks and lots of brush to be cut and hauled. One of the trees is a huge oak that has been dead for a couple of years. The whole tree isn't down (yet) but it lost some huge branches and we will salvage some of that wood for the fireplace. The other two trees are an Arizona ash and a pine tree. The pine tree will be too sappy for the fireplace, so it will just get hauled to the burn pile. The ash might be okay for the fireplace. We'll see.
I am hopeful that the surgeon I see next week will have some better options for me. Maybe someday I won't have a choice about the brace and a cane, but I darn sure have a choice now and I say NO.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Plans for 2010
In our first (official) year of Prepping, we've trimmed every line item on the budget, added chickens (for meat and eggs) to our livestock and put in a 16 x 16 raised bed vegetable garden. I've learned to pressure can and have been making my own bread with the help of my $15 bread machine from the Goodwill store. Considering we didn't start this venture until mid-spring and that Yeoldfurt ran out of contract work in mid-April, I think we've accomplished a lot. We hope to add to our stores this year but maybe more importantly, we hope to increase our set of skills and knowledge.
A primary goal is to better utilize the garden area this year. Because of some setbacks in our personal life, we planted about six weeks later than we should have and financial setbacks kept us from really doing much in the way of a winter garden. But this year will be different. The garden is set up and we will spend the next four to six weeks working good compost material into the beds. I will probably start some seeds indoors but will have seeds and seedlings out in the garden by the first weekend in April.
We also plan to put in at least two peach trees. We can buy mature trees from the local co-op for $25 each. If we get them in the ground in February, we should have some fruit this year and good crops beginning next year. I will be canning and freezing the fruit and making jellies and peach butter as well.
Our three hens are giving us 18-20 eggs per week. We use less than a dozen per week ourselves, but sell the rest for $3/dozen which more than covers the cost of chicken feed. Actually an $11 bag of chicken feed lasts us at least two months and we average $12 to $16 per month selling eggs. Can't quit the day job, but definitely a profitable use of our time and resources. So we would like to add 2-3 hens to the flock this year. The hens we have are Rhode Island Red crosses and lay brown eggs. We may try a different variety this year. I can't remember the name right now, but heard of one breed that is known for winter egg production and slacks off in the heat of summer. The hens we have now tend to slack off in the winter so that would give us more balanced production.
Our most ambitious plan for this coming year is the possibility of raising meat rabbits. If we do, I'll be tanning the pelts as well for a possible cash sideline. I raised rabbits for FFA when I was in high school and learned some ways to tan the pelts when a couple of my rabbits died. It's not difficult and they come out soft as kid gloves. Rabbit pelts are small and light weight enough to be easily sewn together on a regular sewing machine. There seems to be a market with crafters on ebay. Average sized pelts are going for $5 - $10 each. Larger pelts are going for up to $30 each. Lightweight bubble envelope mailers would make shipping cheap and easy.
Other possibilities we are considering are the addition of a good quality dehydrator. We go back and forth on this subject. I like the long term food preservation aspects but we don't know use much in the way 'dried' products now ...so can we justify the cost of a (good quality) dehydrator? Yeoldfurt has made his own jerky in the past so maybe it would be worth the expense. We'll see.
Except for the garden and the fruit trees, all of the plans are predicated on a little good fortune befalling us in the coming months. Yeoldfurt is still looking for work and unemployment ...even the extended benefits he's on now ...won't last forever. But we already have the seeds, the garden is there waiting to be planted and we have the money set aside for the fruit trees. I am optimistic and eager to see what we can do in the coming year.
A primary goal is to better utilize the garden area this year. Because of some setbacks in our personal life, we planted about six weeks later than we should have and financial setbacks kept us from really doing much in the way of a winter garden. But this year will be different. The garden is set up and we will spend the next four to six weeks working good compost material into the beds. I will probably start some seeds indoors but will have seeds and seedlings out in the garden by the first weekend in April.
We also plan to put in at least two peach trees. We can buy mature trees from the local co-op for $25 each. If we get them in the ground in February, we should have some fruit this year and good crops beginning next year. I will be canning and freezing the fruit and making jellies and peach butter as well.
Our three hens are giving us 18-20 eggs per week. We use less than a dozen per week ourselves, but sell the rest for $3/dozen which more than covers the cost of chicken feed. Actually an $11 bag of chicken feed lasts us at least two months and we average $12 to $16 per month selling eggs. Can't quit the day job, but definitely a profitable use of our time and resources. So we would like to add 2-3 hens to the flock this year. The hens we have are Rhode Island Red crosses and lay brown eggs. We may try a different variety this year. I can't remember the name right now, but heard of one breed that is known for winter egg production and slacks off in the heat of summer. The hens we have now tend to slack off in the winter so that would give us more balanced production.
Our most ambitious plan for this coming year is the possibility of raising meat rabbits. If we do, I'll be tanning the pelts as well for a possible cash sideline. I raised rabbits for FFA when I was in high school and learned some ways to tan the pelts when a couple of my rabbits died. It's not difficult and they come out soft as kid gloves. Rabbit pelts are small and light weight enough to be easily sewn together on a regular sewing machine. There seems to be a market with crafters on ebay. Average sized pelts are going for $5 - $10 each. Larger pelts are going for up to $30 each. Lightweight bubble envelope mailers would make shipping cheap and easy.
Other possibilities we are considering are the addition of a good quality dehydrator. We go back and forth on this subject. I like the long term food preservation aspects but we don't know use much in the way 'dried' products now ...so can we justify the cost of a (good quality) dehydrator? Yeoldfurt has made his own jerky in the past so maybe it would be worth the expense. We'll see.
Except for the garden and the fruit trees, all of the plans are predicated on a little good fortune befalling us in the coming months. Yeoldfurt is still looking for work and unemployment ...even the extended benefits he's on now ...won't last forever. But we already have the seeds, the garden is there waiting to be planted and we have the money set aside for the fruit trees. I am optimistic and eager to see what we can do in the coming year.
Adventures in Bread Making
It started with a need to trim the grocery budget. I had made my own bread before and knew it was healthier and cheaper than buying bread. But in those days I was a stay at home mom and it was fairly simple to work an afternoon of making bread into my routine once a week. These days I work full time and, with the commute of 40 miles one way, my discretionary time is even more scarce than my discretionary funds. A bread machine seemed to be the answer, but the retail price on even the cheaper models was prohibitive. Then a friend suggested I check out the local Goodwill Store on my lunch hour one day and I lucked into a Breadman Plus bread machine for only $14.99 ...what a deal! There was no manual with it, but I was pretty sure I would be able to go online and download one. The store offered a 15 day no-questions return policy so I forked over the money and took it home.
Finding the manual online was easy, just as I expected and I downloaded it as a pdf to my desktop. I have printed a few pages but mainly reference it from my computer when necessary. The manual included some basic recipes and I tried those first. They were good ...especially the Two Cheese Bread but I wanted to more variety. So I went online again in search of bread recipes with a little pizazz.
My first real find was a recipe for basic white bread with two tablespoons of dry Ranch dressing mix in it for flavor. This is a great supper bread to serve with soups or stews. A few weeks ago, I decided to experiment with making a sweet bread for things like French Toast and came up with this... I substituted brown sugar for the honey and maple syrup for the oil. Instead of dry Ranch dressing mix, I added cinnamon. I adjusted the quantities of the brown sugar and syrup slightly until the dough looked to be the right consistency. It came out great! It is only slightly sweet, a great bread for making French Toast or to spread with butter and your favorite jam.
Today I started to make a batch of the Sweet Breakfast Bread and decided at the last minute to try a new variation ...my own version of Pepper Bread. I followed the recipe for the Ranch Bread but substituted two tablespoons of Crush Red Peppers for the Ranch dressing. This will also be a good bread for soups and stews, or buttered with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and placed under the broiler as a side with spaghetti or lasagna.
It costs approximately 50-75 cents to make a 2 pound loaf of these breads, slightly more to make the Two Cheese Bread because cheese is always expensive. But even the cheap sandwich bread in the stores is over $1/loaf. Not only does it cost less per loaf for homemade bread, but I have found that we are satisfied with less. I think the fresh natural ingredients are the reason. I'm posting a few of the recipes below. If you don't have a breadmachine, just make them old fashioned way. By the same token, if you acquire a bread machine, any bread recipe can be made in the machine ...just add the wet ingredients first, the flour and any other dry ingredients second and the yeast last. And don't be afraid to tweak!
For all of these recipes, add the ingredients to the bread machine in the order given. I prefer to use the dough setting and bake the loaves in the oven. If you use the bread machine to bake, choose large (2 lb loaf) and select the desired darkness for your crust.
Two Cheese Bread (from my Breadman Plus manual)
1 c warm water
1-1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil (or butter)
1 egg
1 Tbsp honey (or sugar)
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2-3/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
1-1/3 c grated cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
Ranch Bread
1-1/8 c warm water
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c vegetable oil
3-1/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Ranch dressing powder
2-1/4 tsp yeast
Sweet Breakfast Bread
1-1/8 c warm water
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c maple syrup
3-1/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2-1/4 tsp yeast
Pepper Bread
1-1/8 c warm water
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c vegetable oil
3-1/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp crushed red peppers
2-1/4 tsp yeast
Enjoy!
Finding the manual online was easy, just as I expected and I downloaded it as a pdf to my desktop. I have printed a few pages but mainly reference it from my computer when necessary. The manual included some basic recipes and I tried those first. They were good ...especially the Two Cheese Bread but I wanted to more variety. So I went online again in search of bread recipes with a little pizazz.
My first real find was a recipe for basic white bread with two tablespoons of dry Ranch dressing mix in it for flavor. This is a great supper bread to serve with soups or stews. A few weeks ago, I decided to experiment with making a sweet bread for things like French Toast and came up with this... I substituted brown sugar for the honey and maple syrup for the oil. Instead of dry Ranch dressing mix, I added cinnamon. I adjusted the quantities of the brown sugar and syrup slightly until the dough looked to be the right consistency. It came out great! It is only slightly sweet, a great bread for making French Toast or to spread with butter and your favorite jam.
Today I started to make a batch of the Sweet Breakfast Bread and decided at the last minute to try a new variation ...my own version of Pepper Bread. I followed the recipe for the Ranch Bread but substituted two tablespoons of Crush Red Peppers for the Ranch dressing. This will also be a good bread for soups and stews, or buttered with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and placed under the broiler as a side with spaghetti or lasagna.
It costs approximately 50-75 cents to make a 2 pound loaf of these breads, slightly more to make the Two Cheese Bread because cheese is always expensive. But even the cheap sandwich bread in the stores is over $1/loaf. Not only does it cost less per loaf for homemade bread, but I have found that we are satisfied with less. I think the fresh natural ingredients are the reason. I'm posting a few of the recipes below. If you don't have a breadmachine, just make them old fashioned way. By the same token, if you acquire a bread machine, any bread recipe can be made in the machine ...just add the wet ingredients first, the flour and any other dry ingredients second and the yeast last. And don't be afraid to tweak!
For all of these recipes, add the ingredients to the bread machine in the order given. I prefer to use the dough setting and bake the loaves in the oven. If you use the bread machine to bake, choose large (2 lb loaf) and select the desired darkness for your crust.
Two Cheese Bread (from my Breadman Plus manual)
1 c warm water
1-1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil (or butter)
1 egg
1 Tbsp honey (or sugar)
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2-3/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
1-1/3 c grated cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
Ranch Bread
1-1/8 c warm water
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c vegetable oil
3-1/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Ranch dressing powder
2-1/4 tsp yeast
Sweet Breakfast Bread
1-1/8 c warm water
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c maple syrup
3-1/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2-1/4 tsp yeast
Pepper Bread
1-1/8 c warm water
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c vegetable oil
3-1/4 c bread flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp crushed red peppers
2-1/4 tsp yeast
Enjoy!
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