Today was our first of 3 butchering days.  I have about 130 birds here, or I should say "had".  We are down by 42 today.  I have raised them along side mine for friends and they help butcher.  We learned a couple of new things today while butchering.  There's a tendon on the chicken's foot that you can pull and it makes the chicken's toes grab things.  Yvonne's little boy had a great time with that chicken foot and even had to take it home to show his dad!

Another thing my son showed everyone is how to put a chicken to sleep.  You have to turn it upside down and then tuck its head under its wing.  When you set the chicken on the ground, it stays that way.  Sometimes they will get up on their own and sometimes you just give them a little nudge and off they go.  Pretty funny.

Of course, all of the adults had memories of watching the chicken bounce around without the head, so we made sure the kids in the bunch got to see that too.  Gotta make those memories! 

If you'd like to see pictures from last year,just check out this entry.

It is so nice to have those birds in the freezer and have "fresh" chicken all year long.  It just doesn't compare to anything you buy in the store.

The short answer to the question below:  We had seven people total.  It took us about 3 hours.  We weren't all busy 100% of the time, but close. 

The long answer:  If 2 people gather the chickens and one cuts off the heads, then the chopper can become the gutter as well.  (That's generally my husband's job.  He does the gutting and most of the chopping of heads.  My son does some of the chopping.)

Two can scald and pluck (we have a plucker) and then 2 do additional cleanup of feathers.  After the gutting is done, they go in a bucket of cold water.  The lungs are much easier to pull out if they are cold.  After the lungs they get a good cleaning and into fresh, clean water to chill.

My husband said today it would be nice to have 2 people gutting in order to keep up.

I last wrote about a long weekend and how it discombobulates me.  That was nothing compared to after the long weekend.  One Tues. evening, Sept. 2, my mom called to say they were taking my step-dad by ambulance.  I jumped in the car and went in to get her.  The following day they life-flighted him to Billings and then he passed away Thursday night.  What a roller coaster ride!  The service was Monday the 8th.  It was a very nice, graveside service for the family and then a gathering of friends and family afterwards in town.  My mom's church put on a luncheon. 

My brother flew in from Singapore, where he's currently working, on Friday the 12th.  He just left yesterday about noon.  It was good to see him and spend some time with him.  It just seems like it's been a flurry of activity since before Labor Day.  Yesterday was also our mom's birthday.

All I know is I really slept well last night!  I can't believe this month is already over half over!

Long weekends always throw me for a loop.  Today will be my Monday at the shop.  That means anything I plan to get done there must be accomplished today since I don't work tomorrow due to the Farmer's Market.  It always seems a little frantic to me, but I am hoping for a quiet day there.

We spent the weekends starting or accomplishing tasks that need to be finished before the snow flies.  Sunday we went to the woods and got a nice load of firewood.  My daughter had taken her motorbike along to get some riding in.  She bought herself a little 125 for a college graduation gift.  They dropped me off at my friend Sarah's and I convinced her that she and I needed to go up behind them so she could get a load of wood too.  We finished a couple of things at her place and then headed up.  It's quite a ways from her house, but a fun drive up the mountain.  We stopped and she showed me some teepee rings.  It's pretty amazing to walk among them and imagine what their lives must have been like back then.  The fire pit was always in the middle, of course, and their entry was always facing east.  You can see the break in the rocks where the entry was.  As you look along that site, there are several rings all in a row.  They winter camped there along the creek.  We discussed their diets and how they had little variety.  She showed me another spot up the road where they camped too.  It's all very fascinating to think about.

So we got up there, got her a nice load of wood and then headed back to her house to put up some corn.  She steamed it and then we cut it off the cob.  We didn't quite get it all finished when the family arrived to pick me up.  Just as we were heading home, our son, Kelly called to tell us he was making supper.  That set well with everyone because they were starving (and crabby because they hadn't eaten!)  It was nice to come home to dinner all made.  He made tacos and had the full spread!  There was every condiment you could possibly want to put on them!

I was so tired I was in bed at 8:30.  I read for 30 minutes and was off to sleep!

Monday was spent in the garden.  I was stalling in the morning for a while, but decided it needed to get done.  I picked 40 ears of corn and a rubbermaid full of beans.  I then came back in to process the corn.  Those 40 ears gave me 6 bags of corn with 3 cups in each bag. 

 We have not had a freeze here yet, so everything is still producing.  I thought since I had help we'd better get most of the stuff picked.  Everyone was out there picking and hauling.  The biggest surprise were the pumpkins!  I had just let them do their thing and not paid much attention.  I was pleasantly surprised to see how many and how big some of them were.  That was fun!

We all headed back to the house and started supper and processing more corn!  We wound up with 22 bags total.  It's nice to see that in the freezer.  My FIL took home 1 rubbermaid full of beans and I have one to do.  I am hoping to sit and do that at the shop today!  I have to go back to work to rest!

The supper menu was:

Walleye  - caught mostly by my daughter at the lake Saturday!

Oven fried red potatoes

Lettuce salad & Sungold tomatoes

Cucumber salad

Just picked corn on the cob, all from the garden!

Homemade raspberry ice cream with Sarah's cream!

I am putting 85 year old Leda Smith in my Inspiring People category.  She lives outside of Pittsburg, PA and made the news this last week for holding a would-be burglar at bay with a 22 caliber pistol while making HIM call the cops.  She kept him at bay until they got there.   I especially love her comments!

Go Leda!

I want to thank everyone for their kindness regarding the pig incident.  It's been a long week for me.  I keep going over in my head what I might have done differently, but what's done is done. 

I gave my statement to the Sheriff's Dept. on Saturday.  I've heard nothing since. 

This whole thing has made me sick, literally.  I just can't fathom the kind of mind it takes to do something like that.  Grown men, mind you!

I was in the garden Sunday and pretty well hidden in the asparagus.  My son came out looking for me and couldn't see me.  It hit me then that the bullet could've just as easily hit me if I'd been out there!  The pig pasture is just directly east of my garden and there's plenty of "hiding" places out there.  Depending on if you're behind the corn or in the asparagus or raspberries, you are pretty well hidden.  That really made me sick to my stomach!  I can't believe how many people drive around this area shooting from a vehicle and shooting from the road.  Both are illegal.  It doesn't seem to matter.

So, I will post if something happens, but for now I need to try to forget about it.  It's not easy.

I've lost it.  I've lost my faith in humanity.  Wednesday evening after Farmer's Market, I came home and was unloading my car in the driveway like I normally do.  I was home alone and heard someone pull up by our adjacent driveway and then I heard the pop of a 22 caliber rifle, with laughing following that.  It's not uncommon around here, unfortunately, for people to drive around and shoot gophers from vehicles on county roads.  Never mind that it's not legal.  In my head I was thinking they were shooting at my wandering chickens.  They are often in the road.  I immediately ran to the road to look and see what was going on.  We have a huge windbreak of trees around the house, so it's impossible to see anything with them all leaved out.  As I approached the road, a green pickup drove past and the passenger looked right at me, still laughing and smiling.  I yelled at them and they sped off, yelling something back.  I tried to get a plate number, but they took off too fast.  I decided not to call the Sheriff's Dept. for various reasons, the biggest being they never can catch the idiots out here anyway.  There's too many roads to take to disappear. 

I looked for dead chickens and saw none, but got a sick feeling that I'd better check on the pigs.  They all seemed to be ok, but Friday morning when I did my chores, one was dead.  I am just sick about it.  I called the Sheriff's Dept. and a deputy came out.  I had to lift the dead pig over the fence and hose it off to look for any possible wounds.  I found what I believe to be an entrance and an exit wound, but without taking the pig to a vet for a cause of death, at my expense, they cannot make a judgement as to if that's what killed it.  What killed the pig was an infection that set in after it was shot.  Her right front shoulder was considerably swollen and the bullet hit there and came out under her chin.  He took pictures, but a lot of good that will do.  We will get no restitution without the vet C.O.D. 

I do believe I know who did it.  I recognized the man.  Yes, a grown man.  One I went to school with.  They can charge him with criminal endangerment and they will get their money, but we are the victims here and get nothing. 

Warning.......not for weak stomachs!

Ok, I am just going to lay it out there for you.  I won't mince words.  Chickens will eat ANYTHING!  I have seen chickens eat some pretty disgusting things over the years, many of which I do not care to mention.  Believe me, you're better off not knowing.  That's just chicken reality. 

One of the biggest reasons I have meat birds is for clean up.  They are excellent at foraging in the field and cleaning up after the sheep, pigs and cows.  Suffice it to say that the animals I just mentioned don't digest whole grains well.  It has to go somewhere, so it comes out.  Chickens love scratching around in the manure for those grains.  They also eat fly larvae and other bugs that love manure.  That's just chicken reality. 

So today I went out with the camera to get some pics of the cows all lounging behind the wind break.  It was late morning and they were in the shade.  While I was out there I spotted a fairly fresh cow pie and about 4 ft. from it was another that the chickens had already taken care of.  Seriously, with chickens you don't need to harrow.  I was thinking how interesting it would be to take a picture of each to show what they are capable of.  Just then, one of the meat birds decided to join me.

They are quick, believe me!  No sooner did I snap the picture and he was scratching his heart out, up to his chicken elbows in a fairly fresh one.  Now, up until this point in my life I thought they only liked the dried out ones.  I must say though, that this flock of meat birds loves water, mud and the pig wallows.  They are like a bunch of kids in a mud puddle!  He peeled the top off that cow pie just like it was the skin on an old-fashioned pudding cup!

So this is what it looks like when the chickens are finished with it.  They are amazing at clean up.  That's just chicken reality!

 So if you are what you eat, what does that make me?

Some of you may be familiar with Countryside Magazine.  Below is something I submitted to them.  It's been on my mind for a while now and I finally put it in words.

When I was a child, I was witness to a dowser or water witcher.  I believe it can be done, my husband doesn't.  I think 90% of it is actually in the belief, sort of like The Secret.

On a yahoo list I belong to, the subject of too many roosters and not enough pullet chicks came up.  The following is a response by one of the listers.  I have never heard of this before, but it might be fun to try!

Use something made of brass like a key.  Tie a string to the key, hold the egg in one hand, suspended by the string in the other hand directly over the egg (very still) and then stand very, very still. (key does not touch the egg).
The key will start to move and swing. If is swings back and forth the egg has a pullet. If the key swings in a circle the egg has a rooster.
We would mark the eggs with the male or female sign and put them in the incubator. Sure enough...it worked.  The next 12 years our percentage rate of correctly sexing the eggs was around 90-95%!!  It is simple and exciting.

What the hay!  Give it a go!

Today was our monthly gathering of Women of the Dirt.  We are all into sustainable agriculture.  I decided it was a perfect day for ice cream and I have not yet made fennel ice cream this year.  I decided to make a nice apple crisp to put the ice cream on. I made if from the apples I put up last year.

To make the fennel ice cream, I use 1 pint whipping cream and 1 pint half and half.  Take 1 pint and put it in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Add a half cup sugar and a generous handful of fennel fronds, chopped up.  Stir over low - med heat until the sugar dissolves.  Put the lid on the sauce pan and put it in the fridge overnight.  When you are ready to make your ice cream, strain the fennel out and add the second container of cream straight into your ice cream maker.  I use the small Rival brand.  It's delicious over apple crisp and I've had many compliments on it. 

This is my little table at Farmer's Market.  I am only selling my excess garden produce, but I have been pleased.  I had 3 little artichokes for sale and that tickled me.  I sold all 3.  It's amazing to me that we can grow them here!

From the left (you can't see my basket of yarn from my sheep) on the table, my friend Sarah's soap.  Farm eggs, russian sage & chives in back of the eggs, zucchini, patty pan squash and artichokes in the basket behind the eggs, Walla Walla Sweet onions in front, fennel, beets and in the back kale, collards and lettuce.  I also had sweet basil.  There's more in the coolers, but I only put out enough to show in the 90 degree temps.

My flock of meat birds is an interesting lot this year.  They are all very friendly and will come running as a group when they see you.  They think you have food!  They are also the most traveling flock I've ever had.  They are ranging far and wide to forage.  I am pleased with that.  That's the biggest reason I have them, for clean up!

I grow my birds slowly and without commercial grower.  I believe the grower ration only encourages them to eat more, grow fast and develope leg and heart problems.  Mine all seem very healthy and happy.  They still have some growing to do before butchering time.  That will come later in the fall.  If you'd like to see an excellent write up on butchering chickens, go to this link and read all about it!

Today is Cat's birthday.  I met Cat via the Tasha Tudor list and met her in person at the Kindred Spirits Gathering last year.  Cat is a very talented artist and her favorite subject is Corgis!  It's no wonder.  She raises them. 

In honor of Cat, I purchased a vintage Samsonite travel cosmetic case today.  Of course it was at a garage sale and I think I either paid a quarter or a dollar.  I've already forgotten.  Anyway, I almost passed it up, but I loved the deep blue color and it was in good shape.  I remembered what Cat had done with hers and it turned out beautiful.  Take a peek and you will see how inspiring this woman is.

Happy Birthday Cat!  I hope your family spoiled you today!

I came across this quote and wanted to share it.  It's timeless!

If people let the government decide what foods they eat and
what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in
as sorry a state as are the souls who live under tyranny.
-- Thomas Jefferson

I've been doing fairly well at the little local market.  My goal is to just sell my surplus garden stuff and keep it to no more than 3 coolers, the KISS method!  (Keep it simple stupid!)  One cooler is a big, giant Costco cooler and it is about all I can do to lift it.  I think twice I had 3 coolers full, but 2 is even better, on the back anyway!  I am always amazed at how the one and two dollar items add up to just under $100 a week!  I get to do a little trading afterwards too!

Yes, free for the pickin'!  I am talking about eating weeds!  Did you know that 80% of what we call weeds today were actually brought over in the form of seeds on the ships with our ancestors for medicinal purposes!?

I have long known that purslane is edible, but until just the other day I was afraid to try it.  My cousin and his wife came out and we walked through the garden.  She picked a piece and popped it in her mouth, giving me the courage to do the same.  It has a slightly tart flavor and she said it's loaded with omega 3s.  Her husband, my cousin Bill, loves it on BLTs instead of the lettuce!

She also showed me lamb's quarters.  She called it pig weed, but the pig weed I know is different and I have LOTS of it, so I showed her what I call pig weed.  She didn't know if it was edible, but the lamb's quarters tastes a lot like spinach.  It's also called goose foot, because of the shape of the leaf.  It's one of the best sources of beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, and iron in the world; also a great source of trace minerals, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and fiber.  It's a European relative of spinach and beets.

The last one I am going to write about is pig weed.  This one is red root pig weed.  I discovered that pigweed is a common name given to any plant that was used as pig fodder.  We have LOTS of pig weed here.  You can eat the tender, young leaves or wait and harvest the seeds to use in like poppy seeds.

The thing that is amazing is the nutrition in these weeds.  I would caution you not to pick from road-sides.  Often times that is sprayed and/or very dusty if it's a dirt road.  I am told the exhaust fumes collect there too, but I would think it would have to be a very busy road.

Here's a link to an interesting site I discovered while searching for edible weeds.  He has great pics and descriptions as well as nutritional values and recipes.  http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Plants.html

Enjoy!

Did I ever mention I love Chickens?    They just crack me up to watch them.  Some people think they aren't very smart.  I beg to differ.  Every evening when I go out to put the animals to bed (close the gates, give the goats some grain and separate the babies so I can milk the does in the mornings) I wind up watching these certain 5 chickens.  They are meat birds, so they are all white.  The same 5 head out to pasture first thing in the morning.  This pasture is south and east of their chicken hoop.  The rest of the chickens take off for other parts of the farm.  These 5 have their route!  In the evenings the same 5 are still out with the sheep, catching mosquitos!  They walk around and under the sheep catching mosquitos out of the air and eating them before they land on the sheep!  Talk about pampered sheep!  Seriously, they have discovered a food source that none of the others have.  It is so funny to watch them stretch their necks and sometimes almost jump for the mosquitos!  Again, cheap entertainment.

I promised Cathy the garlic scape pesto recipe, so here goes:

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 pound garlic scapes

1 cup grated parmesean

1/2 to 1 cup olive oil

1/2 to 1 cup pine nuts 

Chop the garlic scapes into 3 inch pieces.  Put in the food processor and process until pureed.  Add pine nuts and then olive oils slowly.  I also add a few large squirts of lemon juice.  This helps to thin it down a bit.  Then fold in parmesan when done.

I first heard of garlic scape pesto through Mary Jane's Farm.  She tells all about it.  I don't care for her recipe because I am not a fan of lime.

More chicks!  Oh, yes!  The hen who has been setting on a clutch of eggs out by the shop hatched out 9 chicks!  That was just one day after my last order came from Murray McMurray Hatchery!  I ordered 40 more birds!  The answer to your question is yes.  I have lost my mind!  I panicked a while back and was afraid I might not have enough roasters!    Imagine that!  I almost cancelled my order, but I knew I could get rid of them.  The same woman who bought my last batch of turkey poults bought the 15 meat birds.  That left me with 25 assorted brown egg layers.  I know I can sell those as ready-to-lay pullets down the road a bit.

So the family who bought my turkeys and chicks run an appliance repair business.  Guess who's coming today?!  Yes, my washer broke!  Let that be a lesson to me next year.  Never sell poultry to an appliance repairman's wife! 

Here's the proud Barred Rock hen and her brood.

On another note, the mosquitos have landed!  We have been invaded by them.  My poor sheep and goats have just been attacked.  If any of you have suggestions, please chime in.  I have ordered some stuff called Garlic Barrier.  I am hoping it arrives today.  The barn was just "alive" with the noise of mosquitos last night.  Poor animals.  I sprayed the goats down with white vinegar.  They weren't impressed, but I am hoping it helped them.

I have been thinking of Tasha Tudor all week.  It's been a year since I visited her garden.  More on that to come.

It is with great sadness that I write this post.  Almost one full year ago I traveled to Vermont and met up with some of my internet Kindred Spirits  We are all Tasha fans. A gathering was planned as well as a tour of her garden.  It was the trip of a lifetime for me and I made some forever friends on that trip.  We are bound by one common thread,  that is Tasha.  My friend, Linda, who was my roomie on the trip, called me today with the news.  She knew I'd be away from the computer this afternoon and she happened to be online with the message came to her.  I was sad, but at 92 she has had a good, long life.  We can't all live forever and the reality of her passing is something we discussed as a group.  We knew the time was not far off.  So now the day has come for Tasha to leave this earthly world.  How fitting for our beloved Tasha to pass under a full, strawberry moon. I shall connect the two always and forever more. Some of you may recall her last birthday was a full moon as well.
Though my heart is heavy with her leaving this earthly world, I am doing just as she suggested.  I am taking joy.  Joy in a life well-lived, joy in a very unique woman, joy in the simple things that Tasha brought to my life and more so, joy for all the friends I've made through discovering her and becoming a fan.  She has influenced so many lives.  Mine is but a drop in the ocean.

Bless you Tasha. God Speed.

I am going to go play dolls with Annabelle.