Winter things to do

Make Jelly, when all else fails, and the snow is to deep, making it so you can't go anywhere, then the thermometer reading is so cold you don't want to even if you could.. so here is a tip to help warm the house, get started on the canning season.. Hubby decided to make corn cob jelly and concord grape jelly.. yes an interesting combination..many may be wondering "what the heck is corn cob jelly" is is just what is says.. first you go out in the field after the harvest and collect a couple of bags of corn cobs. We prefer the red cobs as they have a better flavor and color of the jelly. After we gathered them we threw them in the corner until a better time to deal with it.. like right now ..

So you take about a dozen cobs and put them in a stock pot, cover with water, you may have to hold the cobs down as they will float.. bring to a biol and let boil for about 20-30 minutes..take cobs out and discard them. then use a cheese cloth and strain the remaining juice. Should be enough to make 3 batches, we used the recipe on the box of pectin box, for grape jelly..

5 cups of corn cob juice

1 box of pectin

1/8 cup lemon juice ( dh idea)

6 cups of white sugar

take the 5 cups of juice in a 6 or 8 quart sauce pan, add box of pectin and lemon juice (optional), bring to a boil, then add the 6 cups of white granulated sugar. Bring to a boil again, boil for 3 minutes.

corn cob jelly

And then he did the grape jelly, but guess what there are no ripe grapes this time of year,, where the heck will he find fresh grape juice for this project

Hubby used frozen concentrate, and you can use any kind of concentrate juice, mix the juice up as you would normall, 3 cans of water and one frozen juice concentrate .. then he fallowed the recipe in the box of pectin

So now i need to make up some homemade bread or biscuits 

Kidding Time part 5: Birthday when it all comes together

Vicky has so graciously allowed me to take pictures of a kidding, Vicky was dam raised as is a bit wild, but for some reason when it is kidding time they usually want MoM to be near by to hold their hooves.. Everything was going so well that it gave me opportunity to take pictures and sell be there if needed. This was a very easy and fast kidding for Vicky in which i am grateful.. I would love and wish that all kiddings went like this one did. A single birth for a first freshener is pretty normal..We all love the Nigerians Dwarf because of the multiple births, but often with multiple births things get tangled and turned the wrong way, so then that is when the owner breeder has to be prepaid to ..yes..go in and assist or take them to the vet .. So do your homework be prepared.

Vicky is stretching her tail,vulva she is dilating

usually a water bag will come first not always

here comes the baby,
  sometimes this will burst and sometime you will need to be there to break it
this is the bag that the kid has been living in for 5 months. 

 Vicky repositioned herself and gathered momentum for the final push

 And here is Hazel Nut
Vicky as a First Freshener blessed me with only one doe

 time to meet the baby
Vicky chose to rest until the after birth was delivered,
 not all will do that some will be up and down and all over the place, each doe is different

ok we are up, come here baby, your still wet behind the ears

24  hours later, time for some rest

and i am off to a good start

And i get lots of love
this is my son spoiling Hazel 

Kidding Time part 4 getting the doe ready

Maybe this should be in first place, but i figure by this time you/I should already have everything else in place
This is something that i advice you to do further research on as there is 2 sides to every coin, Some people don't do anything in fear of abortions and deformities and there is proof that this can do both, so you need to talk to your vet and fellow breeders then make up your own minds

• Month before kidding I have talked to breeders that advise to give CD&T, BoSe, and Vit A,D shots along with a dose of wormer one month before kidding, make sure it is a wormer that is supposedly safe for the unborn, such as safe guard or panacur.. I do give the CD&T booster and the BoSe and Vit A,D ,, I also feed Mana pro mineral for it's high content of Copper. and start giving just a little bit of grain
• Be careful feeding grain in this trimester as this is the time of kid growth, too much grain can cause the kids to be too big to deliver, a handful, 1/4 cup should be enough
• Others like to wait until one week before kidding to worm and yet others wait and worm with in 24 hours after kidding. this is what i do, and i will do a series of 3 times by the time the withholding is over it is then time to milk and i pull kids off at night. . 
• Trim feet 
• do an udder clip. i have seen this done two ways #1  shave the rump along with the udder underbelly #2 shave udder and most of belly, down the back side of the rear legs and around the tail. smear KY jelly on the rear to help keep the goo from sticking making clean up easier.  The object here is clean. 

Kidding Time part 3 : When things go wrong

Most of the goat kidding is uneventful and the does will poop out kids with no problems.. so what do you do when things go wrong: HUMMM

wat you talking about? 

• I have been told to wait 45 minutes of hard pushing with no results before you go after the kids
• don't panic, take a deep breath have your phone #'s on hand for support as well as help
• don't stop once you start to assist.
• clean gloved hand with lubricant, go in slowly, 2 fingers at a time, if there is a blockage she will most likely not be completely dilated, spread your fingers out, add another finger, do this until you can get your hand in with out much resistance. 
• resently learned that Lutalace a drop or two in the lubricant can help dilate, ( warning do not use this if you are pregnant or if you might be pregnant, this will cause you to abort your own child make sure you are wearing gloves )  but in an extreme situation Lutaclace could be a good thing to have on hand
• Oxytocin is also a good product to have on hand, if a doe is tiring give a shot of Oxytocin to help stimulate contractions
• Have the doe lay on her left side so that you can feel in side of her "horns" channels sometimes kids can hide in a horn and it is tuff to find.
• I have found that  when in a pickle and things are getting tangled, it is best to find the back legs with tail facing up, cover the hooves so they don't tear the placenta and guide them out and pull with her contractions if you can, if there is no time just pull. 
• If you start pulling kids, chances are you will have to pull the rest of them also. 
• sometimes it is really tight inside and you can't turn a kid around, if this is the case, then grab head, then with your hand fallow it down and smooth the legs out along the sides of the tummy then quickly go back to the head grab and pull. this will be a bit tuff for mom cus this will make chest a bit bigger but she can do this, give her some time to dilate but not too much, try to work with contractions 
• it is always good to watch your doe after kidding until she has passed the afterbirth and is up and eating like nothing happened. if she is still straining chances are there is another one possibly a dead kid, you will have to go and fish it out. 
• sometime it is a good idea to bounce her stomach, in other words pull up her stomach from underneath as far as you can, sometimes you can feel movement in this position, keep your hands touching the abdomen  and let the abdomen fall, if there is still a kid you will feel it bounce on the abdomen wall. 
• Apply the Uterine Bolus after the invasion, 
• Preparation H will help reduce the swelling of the vulva. 
• for and abortion my vet told me to do 5 cc of Pen G for 5 days, check this with your vet to be sure. 
• when to call or go to the vet. if you can't get the kids out, it is time to go ASAP but call vet in advance so that he/she will meet you.

There is no way that i can cover all of the things that could go wrong, it is best that you have a good relationship with your vet, what i listed here is based only on my limited experience. I do not claim to know it all, and I do not claim to be a vet..And by no means is every situation the same...Do your homework, join goat groups, talk to other breeders, talk to your vet.

Kidding Time part 2 : Gathering Supplies

what you looking at

Kidding Kit You might want to start this a bit early make a list check it twice ... what I am doing here is combining several lists to attempt to meet the extreme, do the best that you can, and gather as much as you can, chances are you wont need much of your kit but it sure is a time saver when you have it on hand just in case.. the list will be rather long, adjust it to fit your needs :

• Storage Place  cabinet, cooler, a tool box or a tack box something to hold your supplies so they are handy
• Cell Phone - with the emergency phone number of your vet, it seems as if if your going to need a vet it will be late at night or on the weekends.. also the number of your goat mentor, if you don't have one find one.. very important.
• Spiral Notebook and a pencil leave it in your tool box so that it is always near by or hang it on the wall. use a pencil instead of a pen or marker because it will not freeze as a pen would, you will need to use this to keep account of who is born to which doe, and who is born first, give a brief color description and left ear ID #, time of birth, number in birth, anything unusual, and weight. 
• Wear clothes that you don't mind ruining such as cover alls, if you have to assist you will get slimy goo on you
• Spool of ribbon to right ID #'s on the kids, this will help keep track of who belongs to whom until everyone is properly tattooed and bonded to their dams or sold.  
• Digital Camera, set it to display the date and time, this will also help keep track of who is who and when, make sure you got new batteries. 
• Flash light or other light sourse in case the power goes out, also new batteries
• Towels and Sweaters, you can make some quick sweaters form old sweat shirts or sweat pant legs, wont look fancy but will help fend off the cold in extreme temps
• Newspaper to put under each birth to catch the fluids to help keep pen dry and clean, and to keep kids from being born in siblings birthing fluids. makes for a cleaner birth
• Paper Towels i like using paper towels better then cloth towels, they absorb the fluids and make cleaning a kid faster and cleaner, cloth towels seem to just smear the goo around not absorbing it like paper towels too, boy a big package or two you wont regret it. i use old feed sacks to gather the dirty ones in
• Hair Dryer to help dry kids quickly
• Dental Floss to tie of navel or shorten it
• Sterilized Surgical Scissors to cut off navel cord that  is too long
• Tamed Iodine to coat kids navel
• Ivory Soap and Container of Worm Water I use a large water thermos in the winter with hot water, by the time i need it is will have cooled... this will be used to wash your hands if you need to assist.
• Long surgical gloves can be found at you local pharmacy and many feed stores, I no longer use this because i feel that it hinder my hands from feeling what i can not see. 
•  Germ X i use this before i go in to assist 
• Water Based Lubricant such as KY Jelly or Ivory Soap, i use the Ivory
• Uterine Boluses or Antibiotic found at your local feed store or vet, give a ND doe one bolus if you have enter her uterus to help prevent infection
• Wash moms udder getting it ready for kids unless you pull kids at birth, in which case you start milking right away
• A card board box to put kids in if you intend to pull them ( i don't unless requested )
• Nasal Aspirator to remove mucus and any uterine fluids that might have gotten in the nose and mouth, helps kids get to breathing faster, clearing the nose and mouth also lessons the chance of newborn pneumonia 
• Feeding tube or syringe found at your vet or goat supply store to use to feed week kids
• Pitchered Nipple bottle or baby bottle either will work, i like the Pitchered nipple, especially for newborns, i will milk mom and give their first sips from a bottle, this makes switching later on a bit easier and also starts the bond with me, even though i dam raise
• Nutra Drench a squirt of Nutra Drench goes into the blood giving the kid a jump start 
• Scale to weigh the kids, i use a fishing scale, Nigerian Dwarf usually weigh between 2 - 4 lbs. 
• Popsicle stick and surgical tape to make splints for weak legs, a shot of BoSe will also help straighten and strengthen kids legs 1/4 cc in the muscle
• Molasses Water for the mom gives mom energy and a reward for all her hard work, also a treat of grain or peanuts or cookies, now is the time to spoil her she has earned it.

to be continued Part 3 when things go wrong........................

Kidding Time Part 1 Getting the Barn Ready.

52 MORE DAYS until i start to kid, i am finding myself constantly looking, checking, and feeling for movement. I am excited for this to get underway. Not sure how excited i'll be when i am only half way through my herd. We will be kidding out ( assisting in delivering ) about 32 does, If you do the math that is A LOT of kids !!

In the mean time i am getting my Kidding Barn ready and gathering  my Kidding Supplies

FENCING  was made of 5ft and 4 ft. hog panels pieced together with tarp bungee cords, i have also seen this done with duck tape and others made of wood

HEAT SOURCE word of caution here, i use heat lamps cus I can afford them, make sure they are not too low that the will burn the doe, , many of them come with clamps DO NOT RELY ON THE CLAMPS, get baling wire and tie them securely on to something solid. I also have one hog heat pad, kind of pricey, you do not put bedding on this and the babies will lay on top, this is my first year using it, so no further comment given yet. Some people use warming boxes and i have some available if i feel they are needed. and goat/dog sweaters, I have a few on hand just in case. I however do not like using this sort of stuff, I do not like pampering them too much I feel that doing so makes it harder for them to adjust, but I will use them if I need to.

BEDDING I like to use straw bedding, for a couple of reasons, first is pine chips will stick to everything, and if you happen to miss the birth the chip bedding could cause the kid to smother, and also the air in the straw shafts hold heat and there fore the straw bedding is warmer.  old feed sacks are use to clean up the after birth and any soiled betting to help keep the pen clean and dry.

BARN YARD LIME It is a good idea to have this on hand to be used after cleaning out the kidding pen between kiddings this will help keep oder down but most importantly helps keep the pen dry.

IN THE CORNER of my kidding barn I have a stack of hay and straw and grain so that i don't have to go out to find it in the dark or bad weather

FEEDERS/WATERS  still working on improving this...I am going to use 5 gallon buckets to put hay in per doe per pen. i use the rectangle feed pans that fit on a 2X4 for horses for water and hang them high it holds may a gallon of water, have to be really careful with the waterer placement and the kids trying out their new legs could accidentally fall in. i use a round dish pan to feed the goats grain at this point, they wont yet get going to the milk stand for a few more days.

BABY MONITOR if you can't afford a barn cam then the way to go is baby monitor, You usually can find these in almost every garage sale you visit keep your eyes open. and gather a supply, great gifts for your goat friends or a new customer that bought a bred doe etc, You can hear any movement or sound that the does make, and the cry of a new born and often the cry of a doe giving birth, you can hear a doe talking to her unborn, or one that is restless and is up and down and digging a nest, this will save on a few trips to the barn. Others in the house can help listen while you get a short nap.

COT / SLEEPING BAG / RADIO  / AND OTHER CREATURE COMFORTS FOR ME

There the barn is ready 

to be continued with kidding supplies.....................

Letter From Jesus

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival.

(Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.)

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just
GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that, let Me go on...If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn.

If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a "holiday" tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me any time you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish. (I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8.)

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is My wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing letters to someone complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell them that you'll be praying for them and their family this year. Then follow up...it will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone that you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day, they'd close and let their employees attend worship and spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary--especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one: There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me, and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to ME, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.

Don't forget: I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a Blessed Christmas with all those whom you love,
and remember...

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS

Merry CHRISTmas to all of you!


This came to me in an email from my friend Lorna Jean, I felt it was good to share. Photos are mine

GIFT OF THE OLD ONE

Tiny Tales Annie Oakley

GIFT OF THE OLD ONE
by Eunice Day, Washington , ME.

The young couple had made their usual hurried, pre-Christmas

visit to the little farm where dwelt their elderly parents with their small herd of goats. The farm had been named Lone Pine Farm because of the huge pine, which topped the hill behind the farm, and through the years had become a talisman to the old man And his wife, and a landmark in the countryside.

   The old folks no longer showed their goats, for the years had taken their toll, but they sold a little milk, and a few kids each year and the goats were their reason for joy in the morning and contentment at day's end.

    Crossly, as they prepared to leave, the young couple confronted the old folks. "Why do you not at least dispose of "The Old One?”    She is no longer of use to you.  It's been years since you've had either kids or milk from her.  You should cut corners and save where you can.  Why do you keep her anyway?"  The old man looked down as his worn boot scuffed at the barn floor and his arm stole defensively about the Old One's neck as he drew her to him and rubbed her gently behind the ears.  He replied softly, “We keep her because of love.   Only because of love."

     Baffled and irritated, the young folks wished the old man and his wife a Merry Christmas and headed back toward the city as darkness stole through the valley.

    So it was, that because of the leave-taking, no one noticed the insulation smoldering on the frayed wires in the old barn.   None saw the first spark fall. None but the "Old One.”

     In a matter of minutes, the whole barn was ablaze and the hungry flames were licking at the loft full of hay.  With a cry of horror and despair, the old man shouted to his wife to call for help as he raced to the barn to save their beloved goats.  But the flames were roaring now, and the blazing heat drove him back.

He sank sobbing to the ground, helpless before the fire's fury.

     By the time the fire department arrived, only smoking, glowing ruins were left, and the old man and his wife.  They thanked those who had come to their aid, and the old man turned to his wife, resting her white head upon his shoulders as he clumsily dried her tears with a frayed red bandana.  Brokenly he whispered, "We have lost much, but God has spared our home on this eve of Christmas.  Let us, therefore, climb the hill to the old pine where we have sought comfort in times of despair.   We will look down upon our home and give thanks to God that it has been spared."

      And so, he took her by the hand and helped her up the snowy hill as he brushed aside his own tears with the back of his hand.   As they stepped over the little knoll at the crest of the hill, they looked up and gasped in amazement at the incredible beauty before them.   Seemingly, every glorious, brilliant star in the heavens was caught up in the glittering, snow-frosted branches of their beloved pine, and it was aglow with heavenly candles.  And poised on its top most boughs, a crystal crescent moon glistened like spun glass.  Never had a mere mortal created a Christmas tree such as this.  Suddenly, the old man gave a cry of wonder and incredible joy as he pulled his wife forward.  There, beneath the tree, was their Christmas gift.

      Bedded down about the "Old One" close to the trunk of the tree, was the entire herd, safe.   At the first hint of smoke, she had pushed the door ajar with her muzzle and had led the goats through it.  Slowly and with great dignity, never looking back, she had led them up the hill, stepping daintily through the snow.  The kids were frightened and dashed about.  The skittish yearlings looked back at the crackling, hungry flames, and tucked their tails under them as they licked their lips and hopped like rabbits.  The milkers pressed uneasily against the "Old One" as she moved calmly up the hill and to safety beneath the pine.  And now, she lay among them and gazed at the faces of those she loved.  Her body was brittle with years, but the golden eyes were filled with devotion as she offered her gift Because of love, Only Because of love.

Nanqu

I let my goats out this afternoon, before I let them out I look to see where the cows are, and i didn't see them, so they took off south over the hill and I really couldn't see them, then I went and did chores, turn around and here come the cows,,humm,,, I get a bit worried,,,, the cows aren't used to  seeing the goats in their pasture,  they were curious, perhaps a bit too curious.   I could see the cows standing at attention, watching so I knew that they had seen them,  then they started walking towards the goats, I couldn't see the goats but I knew they were over in that direction, , I'm getting a bit nervous, I mouth a quick prayer for wisdom and protection for my dog Nanqu and goats,.  then a few minutes later here they come, he  brings them home (slowly), no panic,, standing in front of the goats  between the cows. bringing them back to safety. It was beautiful to watch, and of course i didn't have my phone or camera with me. I didn't want to turn away because I was really curious to see how and what he would do to handle this situation...He is definitely worth he weight in gold...and better yet he is only 1 year old..I look forward to many good years with this one

Second Trailer Full of Recycled Leaf bedding and Pumpkins

 Back in October I made a posts that told of my plans to put ads in the local paper to collect mulched leaf litter to be used as animal bedding and a later post of gathering pumpkins to be used as a feed treat for my goats.

everyone enjoying the pumpkins

Pumpkin is full of nutritional benefits and the seed act as a natural wormer. For FREE it sure was worth it !!

Homemade Laundry Soap

I admit i was sceptically jumping in with both feet so to speak. Someone posted a you tube video of how to make homemade laundry soap, and i thought WOW.. I have been having trouble getting my close to smell clean, especially if i didn't get it in the dryer as soon as the washer stopped. I think we might have a bit of sulfur in our well water, not enough to make the water smell bad as soon as it came out of the hydrant but it would sour dish rags in a hurry, apparently the smell settled in my washer.. Doing laundry was quickly becoming a nightmare, i felt defeated as the clothes still smelled bad afterwards. I even went and purchased the expensive stuff to see if that would help, it didn't.. So I didn't have anything to loose by trying this homemade soap.  

Recipe is as fallows:

                    

                  

1/2 cup of finely grated Ivory bar soap

1/4 cup washing soda (regular is what i used)

1/4 cup borax

mix thoroughly, use 1Tsp. per load (YA! WOW is right)

Now as with everything, I modified this recipe to fit my needs, we have hard water, so I used 1 cup each of the Soda and Borax.. and I probably will use soda feed grade, I simply can't tell a difference except the label and packaging.. And so then I fell in love with my towels again..I was TOTALLY AMAZED !! The expensive stuff  just perfumed the smelly closes. The HOMEMADE laundry soap made my clothes CLEAN!

Shortly after that I watched another video and this one was basically the same recipe except she diluted the bar soap into liquid form and made a liquid soap.. Take a look .. 

I am now sold on Homemade laundry soap. I will not purchase name brands again, and the money that i am saving AMAZING!!

Tarp Hut Update

finding billboard tarps was just not going to happen, the tarp company that i contacted shipped ups and the shipping was more then the purchase of the tarp,, so we back out of that,, I called a local sign company, and asked if they had any signs that they would salvage, "no, they still belonged to the advertiser" that they would ask the advertiser and let me know.. i haven't heard anything, and as with most things out of sight out of mind.. But GOD is good.. He laid on my mind the idea of posting an ad asking for salvaged simi tarps..with in a week i recieved 5 tarps WOW is right !! 3 are probably in the area of 40 ft long and 2 are a bit smaller. I am soo grateful. We will continue working on the tarp hut as soon as the snow melts.

ONIONS

Very interesting -

Very important

subject.. Especially for those who love to eat onions.

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people, there was a Doctor that visited many farmers to see if he could help them combat this flu, as many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many had died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and, to his surprise, everyone in his family was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She obliged and when he tested it, he found that the onion was riddled with flu virus. It had obviously absorbed the bacteria and therefore, kept the family healthy.

I heard this story from my hairdresser: she said that several years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu and also many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop and, to her surprise, none of her staff got sick (and no, she is not in the onion business). So the sensible answer would seem to be, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office (under your desk or even a windowsill). Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and none of us contracted the flu. If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case... Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few pennies on onions!!

Testimony 

"Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmers story, but I do
remember that I contracted pneumonia and, needless to say, I was very ill. I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion, put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar, placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs. Sure enough, it happened just like that.. The onion was a mess and I began to feel better."

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around
the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial and antiseptic properties."

This interesting article came in my email, the onion to absorb the germs is worth a try. And doesn't cost much

November 27, 10

A beautiful fall day. We didn't want to waste it, we decided to work outside.  Well sort of, this is my kidding barn for this year, it is my chicken house, very snug, but not very big. I managed to still get 6 decent sized pens and a 7th if needed, pens measure 4x5. All we need now is bedding and a heat source. Still need to run a multi plug extension cords and find water pans and hay feeders. since money is tight will have to come up with something homemade. Do my reader have any ideas?

Thankgiving 2010

In All things give Thanks unto the Lord....

To sit and think of all the things that I am thankful for:
I am most grateful because God called me out of the multitude., that he opened my eyes so that i can see,  I am grateful for Jesus and what his death on the cross means to me. I am grateful for my family both near and far. My wonderful friends both seen and unseen. Goat friends are wonderful. I am grateful that my husband is feeling well for the moment, and for my health and the health of my family. Thankful for shelter, a full belly and clothes on my back. Totally grateful for the opportunity to live the Homesteading lifestyle, so raise a variety of animals which I love. I am totally grateful that My God provides all of my needs according to his riches in Glory in Christ Jesus.

How to Boil Eggs

How to Boil Eggs  How many of you ever wondered why it is nearly impossible to peel a farm fresh egg.. NOW as with everything else help has been found on the internet.. Can you imagine..I have for years had fits because i could not peel a fresh egg to have it still resemble an actual egg. Deviled eggs were an embarrassing display of my culinary arts. about the only thing they were good for when i was finished was egg salad.. 

I am shocked at the advice this site gives, "DO NOT USE FRESH EGGS""   what???  And believe it or not, when i started using older eggs, things started getting better !!!  This site had a few extra idea to help make beautiful boiled eggs,, yes even beautiful farm raised eggs.

Good IS Good

He supplies all of my needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus...Praise God !!

Do you remember the post i posted about doing a community service of collecting mulched leaves.. which did a two fold job.  I placed an add in our local paper and I'm sure most that read that though I was nuts.

I was beginning to get a little leery of if anyone would actually read my ad in our local paper and respond..the pick up date came and went, yet still no one responded. So we decided to run the ad a bit longer and yah, the trailer came home today full of mulched leaves and people calling the papers wanting to give more, I will be set this winter for poultry bedding and possibly even goat bedding, I am soooo grateful to our community. .. the pumpkins were a bit on the short side, the ones we did get went to the chickens and goats right away. They love the treats. 

Picture of my bird enjoying the new leaf mulch bedding, they find all kinds of things, grass leaves, bugs, plant seed, they are in heaven. 

Last Few Days....

I know all things, because Christ lives in me, I just don't know that i know all things.. until he reveals them to me...

Homesteading and Marketing goes hand in hand. For Me webs.com makes that possible at a price I can afford  FREE. Because it is free it wont appear at the top of the search engines so i still have to do alot of posting my link in ever free breeders directory that I can find. And I try not to over look affiliates and link sharing, even if the only thing they offer is a free listing. it really helps to get the word out. 

I Have had my nose to the grind stone..God showed me that I could have one host web site then create outside link pages for my web sites and blog.. this allowed me to consolidate all of my sites into one location<<YIPEE>> and start a couple more, one for the Heritage poultry that i have now and another for the Livestock Guard Dogs.. No longer will i worry about running out of space, as each animal is allowed 20 pages and 40MB of space.  

After dealing with that excitement, webs has a neat little application called Contact Me. now I am  able to put a contact me button on all of my pages including this blog... all will be directed to one main email.. no longer will my potential buyers have to look endlessly for my contact information.  I am really excited about this ! webs.com never ceases to amaze me..at the moment i have linked 5 web sites for free. all linked together into one.. WoW

I am having so much fun playing on my web site,, my eyes are crossed so i guess i'll quite, but i did manage to get a Contact Us button on all the pages.. this will be my winter quilting project, one piece at a time. I'd love for you to grab a cup of coffee and come visit my site, it will be under construction for quite some time,  excuse the mess, feel free to offer suggestions. 

http://playritefarms.webs.com/

<< Huge Sigh of Relief >>

Ziva went into heat today, {my LGD} got her locked up in our new fandangled pens, in just a nick of time, hope they hold her! If she gets out we will have pups in Jan.. so pray that this will hold her. It is reinforced top to bottom.. it is inside a series of pens, hopefully the male will not attempt to get to her from the outside, but if he tries then at least he will have some work to do.

Should this fail i will let you know, pups will be born in January and ready to go sometime at the end of March.. if this does work .. i will then breed her in April and pups will be ready to go around August sometime.  

Ziva is 3/4 Gr Pyr and 1/4 Akbash  x  Nanqu is 100% Gr Pyr .. the pups will be 7/8 Gr. Pyr.. they should be GOOD! They currently guard Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Chickens, Ducks, Turkey, and Rabbits. I have not had one  ground predator come into our yard since they have come

AS THANKSGIVING DRAWS NEAR

We were at Wally World the other day after DH doctor appointments and decided to pick up a few things for Thanksgiving...lol..I raise Narragansett Turkey but he is just too beautiful to butcher this year...so yep we purchased a tasteless frozen bird.. But i am glad we did because I am leaning to the idea that both of my remaining chicks just might be hens, or toms, but they are acting more like hens, and haven't even begun to display jr, tom tail feathers like their dad did late fall last year.. so if they are both hens <<I pray>> then i am glad we decided to buy frozen.. but next year we will enjoy fresh farm raised turkey