Monthly Archives: April 2014

2014
04/10

Category:
farming
Foods
Life

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Bee Ready

The two new colony starts will be here Sunday, so today we set up their new hives.  We are choosing to go with the more shallow Western boxes as they hold about 55 pounds compared to  80 which is just too heavy.   As soon as they are happy in their new home, we will add more boxes, one at a time, depending on how the flowers, weather and all go.

P1010194 setting up hives

 

Then off to extract honey from the hives whose colonies did not make it through the winter.  There wasn’t much extra honey.  It appears one colony starved to death and I’m not sure what happened to the other.  Maybe the same thing.  No bees in either and very little honey stores.

Here is how we get the honey out.

P1010198 honey extracter

This is the extractor.

P1010199 looking into ext

Looking down inside, we put 4 frames in at once (to balance)

P1010202 closed ex

We go round and round and round with the handle and using centrifugal force, the honey appears out the bottom of the canister.

P1010201 honey exit

After the round and round part, we take a break.   Tomorrow, we will finish it up and clean it all up for end of summer again.    Hopefully we will have the motor on for next time.

 

P1010204 April block

Now the relaxing part was to do this month’s block for the Aurofil BOM.  These are the blocks so far.

P1010203 aurofil bom

2014
04/09

Category:
farming
Life

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Jonah in the whale’s belly or Silkie in the big mouth

How I wish these chickens could tell us the stories they have!   We were trying to catch a month old silkie chick when Lacey (Great Pyrenees) caught on.     She knew she could get beneath those rabbit cages much easier than I could.   So she caught the chick for me – or so I thought.   But apparently she thought this was a game.   She carried it carefully in her mouth as she jumped through the chicken door and out into the pasture, this little one peeping as it is being carried.   Bill finally got Lacey’s attention and made her understand that it was our chick, NOT hers.    She put it down and the chick is fine, though it certainly must be telling its roommates about that ride.   Life even on a mini farm is simply not boring.   (no photo — to busy trying to catch chick without it getting hurt).

Now the standard size chicks are in a chicken tractor in the chicken house and the bantams are in a netting enclosure over by the greenhouse.

P1010185 bantam house

Here they are too afraid of all this much space to move.   But don’t let them fool you, they will soon be looking for escape routes.

P1010184 scared in new house

Life on a mini farm is never boring.   Many times, there is too much excitement and I just want to go sew a few seams, or knit a few stitches, or just take a nap.

The three bags full of wool are now all washed and drying, the alpaca wool is ready to card and I’m in search of free time.  So I’m off to feed everyone, and then I get to knit for a short time.

 

2014
04/08

Category:
farming

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Fiber day

Today  I winnowed the alpaca fleece, getting most of the sand and other unwanted debris out of it.   It is now oh so soft and fluffy.

 P1010182 alpaca fleece

And I have a fleeces soaking to get as much dirt as I can out.    After they are dry, I’ll  card them to finish opening the locks so the rest of the dirt will come out.

P1010183 sheep fleece

And then it will be time to spin.

2014
04/07

Category:
farming

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Chickens think summer

P1010170 cuckco moran settingP1010169

Today  I have 2 hens that believe it is warm enough to set.   They are both broody and would like to really nail me when I take their eggs.   However, I bought chicks before they went broody and need their eggs more than I need them setting.

P1010171 babies set  in ckn house

The babies were set out today in the hen house.  They will have to be caged until old enough the hens don’t attack them.   This week we will  move them to rabbit cages – 6 to a cage and keep them in the same area.   The 6 bantams may get to be up here with the other bantams.

P1010173 closet rod fell

I had to laugh at these three girls – yes, if you look carefully, there are 3 here.   They were sitting by the fountain at the front door, chatting away to each other.  When they left, there were 3 eggs there.   Chickens are such interesting animals.

P1010172 closet rod fell

And lest you think nothing goes wrong – which is rare, the closet rod fell.  It has been there for more than a year.   I have no idea when it fell, just that when I went to get a different shirt, it was down.  Here it is back up, before the clothes are back on it.  These things remind me that we all have interesting days.

2014
04/06

Category:
farming

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Shearing day

Fiber animals don’t enjoy haircuts anymore than young children and today was their annual haircut day.   They also get their annual boosters and feet trimming.    Interestingly, after having had to put up with a haircut, they don’t even flinch at hoof trimming and shots.

P1010154 shearing Mauve

Here Mauve is being shorn.

P1010155 sheared Mauve

Isn’t she pretty all white again.   As you can see, even with a coat, she did not remain totally clean.    That is because she didn’t get a coat until she was a few months old and this is her first shearing.    However her fleece will be a breeze to wash as she doesn’t have lots of debris in it.

P1010156 coating Pinky

P1010158 coat on pinky

And Pinky is getting a new blue coat this year.  .  (Named Pinky because she was the first one coated and had a pink coat last year.   This year it is blue but she won’t get a name change.)    The coats are plenty big, but the sheep will grow into them rapidly as their fleece grows and the coats will be tight by fall. They  look so pretty with their new coats just in time for Easter!

 

P1010160 shearing alpaca

P1010161 shearing alpacaP1010162 shearing alpaca

After the 3 sheep and 1 goat, the alpacas got their turn.    They have all done this before, so there wasn’t much resistance once they were caught.   And if you can see how they are held down (so neither they or the shearer are injured), you understand why they don’t resist much.

 P1010159 sheared alpaca

They look so tiny when shorn.   This black one, Scout,  didn’t care for the procedure so as soon as he was allowed up, he jumped the fence to be over on the side with the dogs.    However, as soon as we were through with his buddies, he jumped right back in.

P1010163 sheared alpaca (scout

The sheep all have to get reacquainted with each other after their haircuts, not so the alpacas.   They have their haircuts and shorts and are all good for another year.

2014
04/05

Category:
quilts

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Starting Christmas

P1010149 more rain

We drove up to see our daughter and family in more of this.   I’m so ready for some bright rainless days.

P1010150 charity dolls

These are the dolls that I ordered (on sale) for Christmas charity.   They will be packaged with a wardrobe for Christmas.    I think they are rather cute and we have a lot of Native Americans in this area.   Below is one standing next to my American Girl model.

P1010152  native am standing.

2014
04/04

Category:
Foods

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Menus for April 6-12

This is something new I’m trying.   I will need your comments to know if it interests you.   If not, that’s okay, we’ll just move on to something that does.

Let me begin by saying we nearly always have a smoothie in which I vary the greens and sometimes the fruits.   In the summer I freeze a lot of blueberries, strawberries and when on sale bananas.   In Dec, I freeze persimmons.    When I can buy organic frozen mangos, I add those to my freezer and smoothies.

Lunch is our big meal and for dinner we often just have leftovers or popcorn with applesauce, or even just fruit.

This is the way we eat, which means you would need to modify this menu for your own needs.    We also eat nearly all organic and plant based.   I can’t really say vegan because we do use the honey from the bees that live here.  Recipes that I use follow the chart.

Breakfast

Lunch

Sun

Pancakes (1)

1 banana, 1 persimmon, kale , swiss chard /drink   greens to taste

Roasted tom and Broccolini penne (2)

Lettuce w Avocado

Mon

Cocoa Almond baked quinoa  (3)Smoothie:ban, kale,    blueberries

Black beans/guacamole tacos (4) tomatoes, lettuce, olives

Tue

Lemon, blueberry crockpot oats (5)Smoothie:  Swiss chard, banana,   strawberries

Delicata squast veg boats (6)

Green salad

Wed

Breakfast potatoes (7)

Smoothie: romaine, bananas, bl berries

Kidney Bean bites (8)

Roasted potatoes

cabbage salad

Thur

Cocoa almond baked quinoa

Smoothie:  Kale, banana,strawberries

Rainbow burgers (9)

roasted vegetables

lettuce w tomato

Fri

Granola

Smoothie: your choice

Pizza potatoes,(10)  green   beans

Roasted squash

Sat

Pumpkin walnut muffins (11)

Smoothie: ban, swiss chard, blueberries

Quinoa casserole (12), zucchini bread

Large tossed salad, frozen corn

(1) Pancakes:   in blender put 1 cup of WW pastry flour, l cup milk, 1 T honey, 1/2 t salt, 3/4 T baking powder   Blend and let sit for a couple minutes.   You may need to thin it a bit.

(2) http://www.girlmakesfood.com/roasted-tomato-and-broccolini-rigatoni      note that this serves 4.  My plan for the two of us will be to only make 1/2 the recipe and I am substituting Penne for the rigatoni.

(3) http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/cocoa-almond-baked-breakfast-quinoa   I make this once and use it twice the first week and freeze the extra.

(4) http://withfoodandlove.com/entrees-main-events/tacos-my-favorite-summer-time-food/

(5) http://3abn.org/recipe/slow-cooker-lemon-blueberry-oatmeal/  I will use 1/2 this recipe and use nut milk instead of coconut

(6) 1 delicate squash,   1/2 pkg tofu, 1 cup of mushrooms, 1 cup cooked rice, kale, almonds.                                                                                                                                     Cut delicate squash into half the long way to make boats.  (another item I freeze) put a touch of oil and salt on them and roast until golden brown on edges 20-25 minutes.  You can do the same with 1/2 package of tofu, cubed at the same time on another pan if you wish  Make a med thick gravy.  Cook mushrooms and at add the kale until it wilts.     Put rice, mushrooms, tofu and kale in boats, add gravy and top with almonds.  Enjoy.   (modified from this recipe)  http://www.loveandlemons.com/2012/11/14/roasted-delicata-squash-ginger-miso-gravy

(7) http://www.forksoverknives.com/wp-content/uploads/BreakfastPotatoesFinalPDF.pdf

(8) http://www.forksoverknives.com/wp-content/uploads/Kidney-Bean-Bites.pdf   This serves 8,  so I will cut it in half and use for one meal this week and one in freezer.

(9)http://www.forksoverknives.com/wp-content/uploads/Rainbow-Burgers-PDF1.pdf  extra burgers will be put in freezer.

(10) Pizza Potatoes.   I bake potatoes, cut in half or slices depending on size, put pizza sauce and toppings on them and warm again in oven.     DH loves these as leftovers as well.

(11) http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/10/mary-mcdougalls-pumpkin-walnut-muffins.html?

(12) Quinoa casserole – which is my company “go to” recipe.   1 1/2 cups quinoa cooked in 3 cups of chicken flavored broth – I use McKays.  1 large onion chopped and water sautéed, add 2 large crowns of broccoli cut into bite sized pieces until just tender.  cover and steam about 5 minutes.  (you may need to add a bit more water to steam).     MIx this with the quinoa cooked earlier and half a package of Daiya cheese.   Put in baking dish and cover with the rest of the cheese.   Bake until golden – about 20 minutes.    This serves 6.    However, since I ususally use it when we have company, we rarely have any left over.

There are a lot of good recipes on the sites to which I have directed you.   My one caution would be to check to see how many they say it serves.   I try to cut a recipe to serve 2 or 4 the first time I make it, just in case I’m not as thrilled as the author.

We use a lot of salads here.   Most often they are some greens and lots of various veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cukes,  carrots, whatever you happen to find in your refrigerator.   Often our salads are so substantial, they could stand on their own.

2014
04/03

Category:
Garden
Life

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We’re WIRED!

Men in the kitchen and when they were done, the dishwasher was running and the counters were clean.

P1010136 men in kitchen

We have had some = no, a lot of trouble keeping our dogs home.   We finally gave up and hired a fencing company to do it for us.

P1010138 better hot wire

Finally seeds sorted and ready to plant

P1010130 seed sortingP1010131 tomorrow's plants

2014
04/02

Category:
Knitting

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New striped socks

P1010133 knit picks new needles

A new pair of needles demands

 P1010134 started socks

A new pair of socks.

I did post my new monthly goals in the Monthly list page

2014
04/01

Category:
quilts

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Little things and sherbet socks

Oh look!   We just started a new month – tomorrow I’ll have my monthly list to show you.

This morning was filled with lots of small things.    These are the little things that don’t seem too important, but somehow putting them off turns them into a big job.   By little things, I’m talking about the tax papers that needed to be put away, the magazines that needed to go downstairs, the credit card that was misplaced because I didn’t deal with it immediately and it got “lost” under other papers.   It seemed as if they were all ready to multiply if not done immediately.   It only takes a minute at the time it comes up, and maybe that’s why it doesn’t seem too important to do it just then.   However, these “little” things seem to reproduce and soon I have a big pile of things with which to deal.   So I’m trying to deal with these things immediately.    I hope someone whose reading this can relate.

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P1010124 ssherbet sock to toe

Last night I knit up to the toes on the socks

 P1010127 finished sherbet socks

Then I knitted on the toes while we were going to  meet the dog food coop driver.   So when we got home, I stitched the ends together and they are ready to wear.   They are really happy socks!

 

P1010126 panera sallad and roll

On the way to pick up the dog food, we made a lunch detour at Paneras.   This is Bill’s favorite place to eat.   I had this lovely big salad and a whole wheat bun and Bill enjoyed their black bean soup with a veggie sandwich.       This gave us the go power we needed to start another project when we got home.

P1010128  started weeding hill

This is another “little”, but a very different one.    What looks like a shadow here is actually where we weeded.  This project we will do a bit on each non rainy day until we have the  weeds out.   It is a shady spot under the big cedar tree.    Weeds do okay there, but I have not yet found other plants that are happy in this situation.    I’d really like some perennials.   Do you have any ideas?