Got Eggs? Got Berries?? Let's Bake!

There's something wonderful about having hens - could it be all those fresh eggs?? Mmmmmm! Something to remember: If your recipe calls for the eggs to be 'room temperature', BELIEVE IT! Most baked goods turn out better if the eggs are room temperature.

I found a neat recipe today, and I adapted it to include something I just love - BERRIES! Of course you've read my previous post about the 'not so good' Blackberries.... and you know I won't be using any of THOSE for my baking today! However, it IS Blueberry time in Michigan, and I just happened to get a quart of them at the store today. Here's my recipe adaptation:

Blueberry Muffin Doughnuts

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. plus 1/2 t. butter, divided
1-1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1 c. fresh blueberries
2 t. cinnamon

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon butter, 1/2 cup sugar, egg and milk. Fold in fresh blueberries. Fill 6 large greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or when muffins begin to pull away from sides of cup. Remove immediately from pan. Melt the remaining butter; roll muffins in butter. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; roll muffins in mixture. Makes 6 large muffins.

Getting "the Berries" -

Back to Basics - Faux Fur Fashions

Most "Faux" fur jackets, coats, or trims on these articles of clothing is just precisely that - fake fur. Sometimes it is called FUN FUR - as it can be dyed in hot pink or electric blue colors, enhanced with glitter and jewels, or even crimped and curled! But some of these furs just must might be made from dogs, cats, and Raccoon Dogs that live and die in China, in horrid conditions.

Because of a loophole in Federal Fur Products Labeling Act, unsuspecting people believing they are being kind to animals by buying only faux fur are actually wearing a cuddly dog around their shoulders. The Humane Society conducted investigations and claim that many retail stores, such as Burlington Coat Factory and Loehmann's, have falsely advertised real fur as fake fur. To get that fur, do not simple mindedly think that the animals are thoroughly brushed each day, the fur carded and collected, and harmlessly processed into fibers to be stitched into coats. These creatures are China raised, in small cages until their pelts reach a proper size, and some are even skinned while yet living. That fur once had a face! It is truly unimaginable to an animal lover, and horrifying what humans are capable of doing for money.
Here is a link to a CBS Los Angeles news report. It shows nothing horribly graphic, but does include scenes in stores where employees are questioned, photos of the Raccoon Dogs (which I have never seen nor heard of) and also explains how to tell real from faux fur, for those who are unsure of what they are purchasing. The Labeling Act says that if the fur on a garment does not meet a certain percentage, it does not have to be listed on the clothing label. But as you will see, some of the labels definitely say "Faux Fur" on them, when REAL is the only way to describe it.

One way to stop this practice is to be aware, and not to buy products made with real fur. If there are no demands for a product, there will be no point in continuing to produce it. There are plans in the works to introduce a law to require manufacturers to identify any amount of real fur when it is used in garment assembly and manufacturing. There's nothing wrong with synthetics. They can be just as warm and stylish. Be aware and be a friend to animals.

One More Nail in Our Coffin

Spring will be here before we know it...and time to advertise the wonderful Chicken Palaces that Mr. Wonderful will be building soon. Last weekend, we visited various "Big Box Stores" to browse for new hinges, screws, vents, and insulation, as well as other supplies that he will be needing. You never know what NEW products will appear, to make construction life easier!

We walked down the fastener aisles in these stores to see what they had as far as screws went. There are so many different kinds - long screws, short screws, stainless, decking, GREEN screws - you name it! BUT - - we were looking for something "different" - something made in the USA. Last fall, Mr. Wonderful had a difficult time with these handy little fasteners....It seemed that 3 out of every 10 screws that he began to install either stripped out, bent, or broke. I examined the box - - "Made in China". OKAY. American Companies - how about making nails and screws in AMERICA? Yes, we have a lot of regulations, but for good reason! We like our products to be safe, and to work as designed. It might be cheaper to have products made overseas, but when they break, bend, or strip out, its not only frustrating, it is a time waster, and makes the items we construct less safe, and of lesser quality!
We have not yet succeeded in finding USA made screws in the stores we visited last weekend. We DID, however, find NAILS made in the USA, in a very tiny area towards the end of the fastener aisle at Lowe's. We will keep up our search for other USA made items. It is hard work to find the things we need, but as I've said before, YOU ARE HERE! So buy American! Keep our jobs at HOME!

Back to Basics - Garlic Power!

Last year I began to use garlic cloves in cooking various meals, finding it very easy to use. Flattening the clove with my knife loosens up the skin, and after removing it I can dice up the garlic and add it to my meat or vegetables, and it smells awesome! Previously I've used garlic salts or powders, and still do use them from time to time, depending on what I'm cooking up. The other day, a blogger friend alerted me to the fact that when she looked for garlic powder in the grocery store, every kind she picked up was made in CHINA!

WHAT?!?! I could hardly believe this - no one in the USA is qualified to make garlic powder? That just isn't right! I researched it briefly on the internet, and even though garlic is grown in the United States, the stores seem to only stock the biggest name brands, or the most economically priced brands. China is the largest producer and exporter of garlic products.

I did find a site for buying California grown garlic powders and products online. Click HERE to visit and browse. It is called Garlic Festival, and indeed, it IS a festival! It is reported that the entire town smells of wonderful garlics, and I'm sure every product you've ever dreamed of, and some you never THOUGHT OF, can be found at their online shop! When you live in America, buy American. This is important especially now, during the current recession.

If you prefer to "grow your own", here's a short blurb I found somewhere (I forgot to capture the link - sorry!) on making garlic powder to store and use at home:

When great garlic begins to go soft in storage, it's time to make garlic powder. To prepare this multipurpose seasoning from scratch, first peel the garlic cloves. Then cut them into thin slices and put in a dry pan. Place the pan in a 150 degree oven to dry the garlic, turning the slices often. Grind the dried slices in a blender, then sift the material through a strainer to separate the chunks from the finer powder. (The chunks taste great on pizza.) Use your homemade powder on any food that can benefit from a concentrated shot of garlic flavor. Store the chunks or garlic powder in airtight jars kept in a cool place, or freeze for long-term storage.
I heard garlic usage may reduce blood pressure. If a person is afraid of bad breath, garlic capsules are available in health food stores. Garlic is ALSO great as a natural dewormer for chickens - fed with chopped pumpkin seeds, the crushed and chopped garlic can be fed tossed with cottage cheese and bread crumbs - my hens gobble it right up!

Back to Basics - Little Sprouts!

Winter has not been a totally happy time for my hens - they don't like the snow and cold, for one thing. For another, there's no fresh greens and bugs flying around for them to munch on. They have only the bagged feed I provide, and what goodies I can toss in to keep them from getting too bored. "Grandma" (my mom!) saves them table scraps such as tomatoes, peas, and biscuits. The hens cherish these treats, but I don't get to see their Grandma every day. In between time, I give them scratch seed, and have also been feeding them wheat grass.

Wheat and oat grass is easy to sprout yourself. Instructions for sprouting different seeds can be found at SproutPeople, and they also have sprouting contraptions they will sell you, seeds, kits for sprouting, and several styles of juicers. I found it an interesting site to explore! I have flax seed and am going to sprout that for my hens next. The fresh greens aren't hard to grow, and the hens just gobble up the tasty tidbits, clamoring for more! It is good for them, good for their eggs, and ultimately good for ME!

Below is a really fun, short video of sprouting in action! And, if you are interested to learn more about growing your own sprouts for your hens, for your sandwiches, or growing pet grass, be sure to check out sproutpeople!

Bee Good to Yourself!

Winter is not my favorite season. Don't get me wrong - I love the freshness of a new blanket of snow across a cornfield at rest, and the huge snowflakes as they drift down from the sky. But, I prefer to look at the frosty scenery from inside my cozy cabin! Springtime is a long ways away for us Michiganders. We're still cooking up batches of stew and tasty chili, and hearty soups to keep warm after snow plowing or doing chores, and in the evenings after dinner, we like to sit by the fire, quilt and Corgis on our laps (yes, all 4 of them, PLUS Nitro, the Aussie!), and sort through seed and poultry catalogs! Imagine THAT!

Winter can be depressing to some folks if they are housebound much of the time. I love being outside during the other seasons, but in winter I tend to do things indoors. One blog I visit often had a post about a book that sounded interesting to me, as I love to read, and learn new things. The book is about BEES! See her post for that day HERE. Jayme is a kind person, and is seeking ways to simplify her life. She has some pet hens that give her daily wisdom as they hunt and peck for goodies to satisfy their taste buds, and her blog has common sense advice sprinkled with good humor! A calming place to visit, so when you go there, plan to stay a while and return again and again!
Buzz-z-z-z-z-z.....

Bees. Honey. Hmmmmm!! Having to battle "the blues" from time to time, I've found a couple recipes to pamper myself a bit. I'll share them with you today.
Herbal After-bath Splash - 2 Cups apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup pure honey, 1 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp ground dried cloves. Mix together all ingredients and pour into a clean jar. Let it sit for 2 weeks, shaking the jar daily to re-mix the ingredients. After 2 weeks, strain the liquid and pour into a clean bottle. To use after bathing or shower, splash on your skin and let dry. Yields 12 ounces.

Facial Scrub - 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp honey, 1 drop tea tree essential oil. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. You can use white or brown sugar - even raw sugar. to use, wet skin and apply the cleanser in circular motion. Rinse off with lukewarm water. This recipe (makes 1 treatment) keeps at room temperature for a week, so you may double or triple the batch if you like.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Back to Basics - FRESH Smelling Towels

For a while now, we've had problems with our towels - they smell SOUR! I put them in the dryer immediately when the wash cycle finishes, use nicely scented fabric softener (sheets, or liquid in the rinse cycle), fold them, and put them on the shelves in our bathroom. When we take showers and reach for a clean towel, putting it up to our faces - it smells SOUR!

Thinking it was the humidity from hot water and steam, I stored the towels elsewhere. Still, the problem remained. Rather embarrassing when company comes to visit. Mr. Wonderful and I thought this over, and he came to the conclusion that it was fabric softener build-up that caused the issue. But, how to get the towels fresh again, without throwing them out and buying new?
SOLUTION: White Vinegar!

Fill the washing machine as usual, adding 2 cups of White Vinegar. Let it agitate for a few seconds, then stop the machine and arrange your towels inside. Let your machine complete the wash cycle - do not add any laundry soap. (White Vinegar is safe, and won't remove any color from your laundry like Bleach can.) When the machine stops, re-fill with water and add your regular detergent, and run through the wash cycle again.

Your towels are ready to dry. Do not add any fabric softener!!! Ever AGAIN! I put the towels in the dryer, and put in a couple of tennis balls. The balls bounce around on the terry cloth, helping it to dry quickly - and when you pull the towels out, they will be fluffy and fresh smelling!

It worked for us, and it might work for you too! If you have had similar problems, I'd love to hear about it, and if you have successful solutions, please share with us!

Have a great Monday!

Back to Basics - Egg Preservation

Safe handling of eggs and egg products includes refrigeration, as we are all familiar with. When I collect eggs each day, they are washed and stored in the refrigerator right away. But, did you know there are other ways to preserve eggs? Read on!
The pictures here were obtained from Wilkepedia. I have not tried to preserve eggs in any other fashion except my fridge, so...this was of interest to me! The photo above is a Pickled egg! They are made by first boiling, then putting the eggs in vinegar, salt, beet juice, and spices. It would look pretty for the holidays! Pickled eggs made in this fashion, following a specific recipe will last up to a year without refrigeration!...I don't know if I would be that brave to try it, however!
A "Century Egg" can be seen above. After looking it over, I bet you would BELIEVE it, wouldn't you?! These eggs must be coated in clay, wood ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks or months, depending on which method is used. The egg yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with a comparatively mild, distinct flavor. Yummmmmm! - - NOT!

If anyone tries this, send your recipe and pictures, and include the address of the hospital you are staying in - I'll send you a 'get well soon' Corgi Greeting Card!!

Bone-Appetite!

Back to Basics - Cuckoo for Marans!

Next spring I am hoping to be able to raise and sell a few pullets to folks that might be looking to buy the coops that Mr. Wonderful has been building. Researching breeds is a good way to spend time in the evenings, and my experience with the hens I currently own has been great for learning some easy "ins and outs".
One of the breeds I've looked at is the Cuckoo Marans. They were actually developed in the mid-1800's, in Marans, France. They are rather rare in the United States, but since they are a meat bird as well as a good laying hen, I believe they are worth considering as a choice for raising. Look at those little peep faces!!!
"Cuckoo" refers to the barred feather coloring of the birds! They look similar to the Barred Rock Chickens, but instead of yellow legs, the Cuckoo Marnas legs are white. The hens are known for laying deep chocolate colored eggs, however some folks have mentioned that the eggs look a medium brown from their personal flocks. Wonder if it is the food they are fed here in the States? Something to think about, for sure!
The picture above shows white eggs, and a normal brown egg in comparison to the eggs of the Cuckoo Marans. The color of the eggs has nothing to do with nutritional value, but EVERYTHING to do with EYE APPEAL and PERSONAL PREFERENCE! Some of my hens lay sage green eggs, and some lay light blue, while the others produce brown eggs. It makes a nice colorful option for my customers when the cook breakfast in the morning, so imagine the delight CHOCOLATE eggs would bring to the WOMAN-Folk!!!

Have a great Monday!

Quick Breads - a big Thank'eee for your Comments

After yesterday's post I received many extremely helpful comments on my Quick Breads - Blogger friends can't be beat! I have a lot to think about in terms of packaging - the cello bags idea was great - I will have to check out Dollar Tree, Michaels, and other such stores. If it looks like it might be a regular thing after the holidays, I would see about ordering online from a 'green' supplier. I saw one web page that had actual paper cartons you could bake various breads in, and sell them in the same container after applying an 'over-wrap'. I don't recall the actual price, but the baking cartons looked sort of 'rustic' and 'back-woodsy' (just my style!), and I remember thinking it the cost was reasonable. I will have to do some more research later if this looks like a 'GO'.

Seems the general consensus is that $4 is NOT unreasonable - some thought $5 or even $6 for a final price would not be too much to put on the sticker. Using organic food items justifies the price, I believe. If it were made from ordinary cheap-o Food Club brand flours & sugars, rejected Gerber 'nannas, Spartan brand margarine, and then - powered by "Battery Chicken" eggs, perhaps the cost could go for a mere dollar-fifty per loaf.

Now, any ideas for a NAME that might be used for these baked goods? Amazingly Amish-like is rather long....and if I called it Amish baked goods, (a little light-hearted humor here) the Amish might WHOOP me - I'm a feared of them, as they have FLAILS shaped like WOODEN SPOONS!!! GOOD GOSH! (makes me shiver just thinkin about it!) I like the idea of the horse and buggy insignia, but the Amish have that pretty much on everything they sell!

If you have any ideas at all for me, fire away, please - I'm always ready to listen and learn from others' experiences! Thanks for your assistance thus far!

Back to Basics - Seasonal Baking

In preparation for this Friday's GET R DONE post, I've actually been getting r done all week! On Monday, I baked some Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Quick Bread, sampled some, and packed up the rest for Mr. Wonderful to take to work with him the following morning. Sharing with co-workers is a great way to clean up 'left overs', so to speak! GET R DONE!

Apparently it went over pretty well. One lady told him that if I'd bake a loaf of banana bread, she would buy it from me. Hmmmm. Okay - I'm in the mood! Actually, I haven't baked in a good long time, but the Fall/Winter season seems to bring out the Baker and Crafter in me. Tis the Season! And SO - see BELOW!If you read the tag, the ingredients justifies the price...Do you think $4.00 for a loaf of this quick bread is outrageous? If SO, let me KNOW! (waxing poetic today, it seems!)

Here is the recipe I used. It is not my own, but I adjusted all of it to fit what I wanted to create. I called it "Amazingly Amish-like: Banana Bread"! It turned out so well, I thought if I could make more baked goods as tasty as this, I could purchase an Amish buggy, hitch Suzy up, and rent a space in a busy shopping center parking lot to hawk these goodies!Hey folks - I think she's 'turning a deaf ear' again! Silly horse! Anyways, the recipe:

Amazingly Amish-like Banana Bread

10 TBS Sweet Cream Butter
1 cup mashed ripe Organic Bananas (about 3 regular sized)
1/2 cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar added (sours the milk)
2 med. Country Fresh Eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups unbleached flour (sifted twice before using)
3/4 cup of sugar
1 tsp baking soda (check the expiration dates, please!)
3/4 tsp baking powder (check the expiration date, too, please!)
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts (toasting releases the oils and flavors - very rewarding!)

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Lightly grease a 9 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. loaf pan
Puree bananas, soured milk, eggs, and vanilla extremely well. Use food processor, if available.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add butter, cut up, and mix on low speed until well blended. Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl, and mix on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the walnuts.
Fill the loaf pan 3/4 of the way to the top. (I had a little extra, so I did the same with an aluminum mini-loaf pay - great for sampling!) Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hr 10 min. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 min. before turning out onto wire rack to complete cooling process.
I ran short of clear wrap, so I used what was left on the top, to show off the bread a little, and wrapped the remainder in tin foil, binding it with a raffia tie, bearded wheat, and a tag that I created using free clipart I found on the internet. I would give credit to the designer, but I don't recall where I found this image. If anyone recognizes it, let me know, please. I would like to thank her!

P.S. > Mr. Wonderful just phoned and said he took an order for next Tuesday for the Oatmeal Chocloate Chip Bread, and also another loaf of this Amazingly Amish-like Banana Bread! He also informed me that I may have an order for 10 more loaves of banana bread at a small corner store - but I have to figure a price so the owner can make some money as well....Wow - never thought I'd go into the bakery business! Big fun for the Holidays! GET R DONE!

Back to Basics - the Resume!

Many people are struggling to find employment these days. So many qualified applicants, so few job positions. I went to a Resource Day called "Transition Toward the Future". There was no charge, and it was held at a local church, staffed entirely by volunteers, from speakers, to guides, to greeters, to servers - yes, free refreshments in the kitchen!

Several workshops were held throughout the day. These included Shopping on a Shoestring, Health Care Options, Entrepreneurship, Stretch Your Dollars, Staying UP in a DOWN Time, Ramp Up Your Resume, and more. After visiting different resource booths, I chose to attend the Resume Workshop. It was enlightening, and I will share a few things I learned that day with you now.

Your Resume - Sales Tool or Obituary?

I have always struggled with my resume - I could never find enough to fill ONE page! I've worked for various companies or factories that no longer exist - as a matter of fact, the buildings they were housed in no longer exist! Even the streets no longer exist - flattened down, with expressways built on them! Boy, does that make a person feel ancient!

The first thing we were instructed on was to remove any High School information - unless, of course, you are are a recent high school grad with no verifiable work experience. High School and Grade School info DATES a person. Remove the statement "References available upon request." That is a GIVEN.

Name and contact information at the top, with name and page number on each successive page.
Objective - Don't bother with complete sentences here - The word "I" is over-used. Get to the point...Seeking full time work in Corporate Staffing... Or - use a Career Summary instead - A procurement management professional with extensive experience in an automotive tier....Knowledge of raw materials and numberous automotive components and systems. Self starter with a very high energy level.... THAT is what they are looking for!
Personal Strengths - Can be included in the Objectives or Career Summary.

Career History - Company Names, City and State, with the dates you were employed. Underneath each job description, use bullets - with ACTION VERBS.

• Math Aptitude
• Results Oriented
• Detail Oriented
• Problem Solver

The thing that surprised me, and why many resumes are pushed to the back, is neglect of using KEY WORDS. Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Arc Welding, mig, arc welding! Use industry specific words! This is especially important when emailing in a resume or application. Software being used today helps the employer weed out unqualified individuals - it 'searches' for key words!!! If it can't find any, your resume is booted right out of the electronic filing system!!! I was told that even if you have learned a computer application that is specific to the Engineering Field, like 'Actify', it should be listed. Even though it might be an outdated application, such as Lotus 1-2-3, list it - it shows that you can learn and master different computer programs.

Education - GPA if it was very good - Dean's List, etc. Bachelor of Science, Masters, etc. and the college/university attended. Continuing Education/Certificates - Workshops, Seminars, Licenses, Certificates - AND - Community Service! Honors/Awards - Machine Maintenance Certificate, Perfect Attendance Award, etc. Activities/Volunteer Work - Mentor, Coach, Committee/Board Member, etc.

Do's and Don'ts - Put most important info about you at the top - education, experience. Make sure there are no gaps in your dates. Don't overuse bold, italics and underlining. Don't use I, me, my or we - they already know! They are reading about YOU! Don't include your desired salary unless specifically asked. Don't bore your reader with too much information - give them a reason to call you in for an interview! Do use bullets, short paragraphs, and even white spaces - they can be your FRIENDS! Use 11 or 12 Times or Ariel font.

Get back to Basics - Revamp your Resume! Have fun and Happy Interviewing!

Back to Basics - an EGGcellent Recipe!

Here's a good recipe I came across in a bi-monthly magazine I receive. It looks like it would be fun to try with organic ingredients, and if you have your own hens, all the better!!!
Deviled Egg Salad

Diane Okerson, Yorba Linda, California

Prep: 30 minutes
7 hard-cooked eggs
3 tablespoons salad dressing or mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
1 clove garlic, minced
5 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups torn Boston or Bibb lettuce
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved, if desired
1 medium red sweet pepper, chopped
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
3 green onions, sliced
1 recipe Dill Vinaigrette

Step 1: Remove shells and halve hard-cooked eggs lengthwise; remove yolks. Set aside whites. Place yolks in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Add salad dressing, dill weed, garlic, hot pepper sauce, and salt. Spoon yolk mixture into egg white halves. Set aside.

Step 2: On a large serving platter arrange lettuce, tomatoes, sweet pepper, bacon, and green onions. Arrange stuffed eggs on greens, vegetables, and bacon. Drizzle with Dill Vinaigrette. Makes 6 servings.

Dill Vinaigrette: In a screw-top jar combine 1/3 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed; 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon salt; and 1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce. Cover and shake well.

Forced Camping - Back to Basics!

Here in Michigan, we have had such a mild summer this year. Cooler than usual temperatures, virtually no storms, just enough rain to keep the lakes filled and the gardeners happy!
Towards the end of last week, all good things came to a screeching HALT! Flat line winds came across the Lake from Wisconsin into Michigan, taking out trees, power lines, and homes.
The power of a 60 mph wind is amazing. Mr. Wonderful was getting ready to cook dinner on the grill, and I called him over to see the 'calm before the storm' - it was dead silent. And then - Suddenly, the winds hit full force, bending the trees in our little woods! The May Apple leaves were flattened to the ground, looking for all the world like BIG FOOT had stomped the life out of them! It began to rain so hard that we could not have seen our hands in front of our faces, had we been out from under the protective roof overhang on our side porch!

As suddenly as it had arrived, the storm left us - it could not have lasted more than 15 minutes before moving on to the next town. But just look at these pictures -
We were fortunate to have only lost 3 trees with minimal damage - the worst was the one across our driveway, which needed to be cut up before we went anywhere. The next day, we saw 250 year old trees, ripped out by the roots, wires down everywhere, and firemen and volunteers removing trees from the road so traffic could pass on the main roads. I am sure that many folks had to hire tree services in order to begin repairs to their yards and homes.

Being inconvenienced for a few days was the worst for us. Since we have a well, there was no running water due to the downed power lines. No phone, no nothing. The humidity was so high that we felt like doing nothing more than we had to, to get by. We heard chain saws in the distance, and the sound of a hatchet hitting wood was right through our yard at our neighbors place. Mr. Wonderful went to their rescue with his chain saw - and saved them a lot of time and work! Too bad that a disaster is the best way to meet neighbors, sometimes!

Our power came back yesterday evening, finally. We had a generator loaned to us in the nick of time, which saved our frozen meat. Much of the refrigerated items had to be tossed. We hauled water in camping barrels that we used a few years back in the rustic horse camping sites, and used that water for most things. Cooking on the grill was not optional. The wood was too wet to do any campfire cooking. Fire departments were handing out free bottled water to whomever was in need. 5 days without power made one realize how dependent our society actually is. It is hard to live by candlelight, even knowing our ancestors got by that way for centuries. Our generation is spoiled! Perhaps we should all have a 'lights out' weekend, to appreciate all that modern living provides for us, and to learn what 'getting back to basics' is really all about.

Back to Basics - Beverages

Today's kids spend entirely too much time indoors on nice sunny days. They are plugged into TV and video games and computers, missing out on 'the good stuff'! When I was younger, the good stuff consisted of creating our own fun, and reaping learning experiences. My friends and I would paint with watercolors for hours, and then go door to door offering our fabulous art work for sale, much to my mothers' dismay (she probably wondered what the neighbors were thinking, that her husband could no longer afford to feed his family?!?)! We painted pictures of horses and dogs for the animal lovers, flowers and sunny skies for nature lovers, and even produced CLOWNS for the boldest of art lovers! Such fun we had, and yes - we did earn a few cents here and there!

While we painted pictures, other neighborhood kids had lemonade stands. That's the GOOD stuff! Back then, Kool-Aid was the wonder drink - came in a package that you opened, added water and sugar, and Wha-LAA! Instant refreshing beverage! Easy-Peasy!Nowadays, you can buy bottled lemonade, lemonade with artificial sweeteners, lemonade as an additive to alcoholic beverages - who'd have thunk it back in 1950's? My favorite lemonade has always been the kind that is sold as fresh squeezed, at the County Fairs. Lemon Shake-ups! Tastey, but pricey, it is generally sold for between $3 and $5 a cup-full! My wallet says YIKES, when I know I could make it at home, where the lemons are '2 fers' at the local market!

Here's my recipe for Luscious Lemonade, organic style!

Wash and juice 4 organic lemons. (You don't need an electric juicer - pull out one of those vintage hand juicers - they work great and add a bit of nostalgia to the process! What FUN!) Put the peels in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup honey and 1 quart boiling water, and let sit for 30 minutes (this will release the lemon oil from the peels). When the peel mixture is cool, remove the peels and stir in the lemon juice. Chill, and garnish with fresh mint!

No powdered mixes, no high-fructose corn syrup - just REAL old-fashioned Lemonade!

Back to Basics - A Healthy Approach to Eating

There are three problems with food that we eat in the United States -

• processing
• portion size
• absence of healthful alternatives

Processed Food - What does it mean? It is food that has gone through a machine, mixed with preservatives, and filled with unhealthy stuff that makes it taste great! This food is no longer the way God designed it, but more of a cross between food and chemicals. Eventually these chemicals pile up in the body and cells.
It isn’t enough to fill up and leave. Most of us head to a restaurant and stuff our tummies to the point they feel like they are going to burst. Eating until we have finished what is on our plate is considered good manners. As a child, I was told that the starving children in Biafra would love to have a meal like this (and if it was spinach or beets, I would think to myself "then please, send THIS to them!). Portion sizes like "Biggie Fries" are NOT a good thing, but it is offered as the normal size in restaurants, and even at home. Eating until your appetite is gone, no matter how much is left on the plate, is the most reasonable and responsible approach.
Finally, one should be concerned about the chemicals that are in the food. Chemicals like hormones that make the cows big (RAL-grow), preservatives that prevent aging of a product, and additives like artificial coloring and flavors are all unhealthy for the body. It is our childhood- to- death chemical consumption where cancer, obesity, mental disorders and allergies take effect.
One method to consider when trying to live healthy is to make sure you're eating food that is unprocessed and without chemicals. Typically, this means that one should eat as many whole and unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, organic meat, etc… Eating organic food can go a long way in preserving your body and health into the future.

Rice is NICE

For YEARS I have suffered with throat problems. It would range anywhere from chronic coughs to the annoying need to clear my throat constantly by 'uh-UHHHHHs' every few minutes. I thought it was just 'me', a seasonal allergy, and later - maybe it was something I ate. It was annoying to me, but annoying to others nearby, as well.

Last fall, after joining my dear mother for lunch, she apologetically offered me a choice of water or Rice Milk as a beverage. Rice Milk? Hmmm - I was game! I tried it, and liked it, and so I kept on using it! I had previous been a fan of using skim milk; Mr. Wonderful uses whole milk - his preference. But, rice milk was pretty tasty, and as a bonus, I could buy ahead, and the containers could be left in the pantry until needed. Pretty cool, don't you think? Small enough container that a single person would use it within the 2 week time frame before spoilage. Also cool! The best thing that I found was, by exclusively using this product my throat issues have cleared up! Only when I have ice cream or another dairy product will the issues return for a day or two. By Jove - I think I've found the answer to my problem!
Since we are accustomed to milk from cows or goats, how exactly do you milk a RICE FIELD?? What exactly IS Rice Milk?Rice milk is a 'grain milk' used as a substitute for cow's milk. (Soy milk is another of the 'grain milk' products) Since rice milk does not contain lactose, it's also wonderful for people who are lactose-intolerant. Rice milk contains very little protein, but provides carbohydrates and is fortified with essential vitamins.

In stores, rice milk can be expensive, due to cost of shipping, lower demand and substantial subsidies paid to American rice growers. Because of these higher retail prices, many people have begun to create their own versions of rice milk at home. There are dozens of recipes for rice milk available online or in vegetarian cookbooks, but the basic ingredients are usually cooked rice, water, sea salt and vanilla. Pretty Basic.The following is one of the recipes I found, but have not tried. It does not sound too difficult, and might cook up easily and be ready to use in just a few hours.

Rice Milk

1 cup raw rice such as short white grain or basmati sweetener to taste
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 quarts of water

Place the raw rice in a very large pot and rinse well under sink until all the talc washes off and the water is clear. Cover with about 2 quarts of water, you can always add more water later. Place on high heat, covered, until the water comes to a rapid boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. (If you are using brown rice, simmer another hour.) Check the pot periodically so that the water does not boil over. Add vanilla extract and simmer for a few more minutes. The water/rice mixture should be very cloudy and the cooked rice grains should have lost its integrity, the grains should be falling apart. Keep covered until until it cools to a lukewarm temperature. When cooled, add sweetener. Then place the ingredients in a blender. Using a soup ladle, place some of the mixture in a blender and blend on high for about 3 to 4 minutes. The grains should be completely pulverized. Carefully pour into a clean container, or strain through a cheesecloth to remove any sediments first, before refrigerating. Flavorings and sweeteners such as sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon or rice sugar may be added to the mix to improve the taste.

Happy Milking!

Battery Farms - To BEAK or NOT to Beak - Back to Basics

Since my first Back to Basics posting, a few readers have asked a very good question:

"What is debeaking?"

In a large flock of birds, leadership and authority is established through a 'pecking order hierarchy'. Unfortunately, when birds are raised in a confined area, it is often impossible for a low order bird to escape from a higher order bird. Injury and death will often occur. Debeaking is one of the common practices of large 'battery' or 'factory farms', where a portion of the chicken's beak is removed to reduce the use of the beak as a weapon when encountering another bird. This is done when birds are from one to 21 days old. Advocates of this practice will proclaim it is one of the necessary operations in poultry management, to prevent the already stressed birds from pecking and injuring other birds in the livestock pens.
Birds are transported in baskets from a starter cage to a stationary debeaking apparatus of a type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,814. On arrival at the debeaking apparatus, an operator reaches into the basket and selects a bird for insertion into a head retainer mechanism after which the beak is disabled. On completion of the disabling process, the bird is released into the hand of the operator who thereafter places the bird into a basket for return to a growing cage. On return to the growing cage it is not uncommon for a bird to take from one to two days to fully recover and begin to eat in a manner to gain weight. It is believed that the recovery time in addition to the trauma associated with the debeaking apparatus is compounded by the handling and transportation of the birds to the debeaker apparatus. In an effort to reduce trauma associated with disabling of a beak and associated recovery time, structure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,610 has been developed to accurately control the removal or disabling of the beak of a bird such that only a portion of the beak of a bird is removed and structure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,731 has been developed such that only the top half of a beak is removed. Currently available debeaker apparatus adequately provide for the disabling of a beak of a bird but unfortunately do not address the trauma associated with transportation and handling of the bird during such debeaking process.


Battery, or Factory Farms refers to the large scale, intensive raising of livestock, poultry, or fish. The practics is widespread in developed nations; most of the meat, dairy, and eggs available in supermarkets are raised in this manner.

Battery farms focus on producing a marketable product at the lowest possible unit price. Common practices include:

• confinement - To save space, animals are permanently confined to small indoor areas, often unable to turn around or move without contacting other animals. This often causes "vices" such as cannibalism, and may be countered through debeaking and tail docking.
  
• drug programs - Antiboitocs, hormones, vitamins, and other supplements are administered regularly, in part to counteract the effects of crowding.
  
• alternative feed - Various materials that contain essential nutrients are substituted for traditional feed (eg: cows are fed poultry litter in place of hay and grain; calves are given cow blood protein concentrate in place of their mother's milk.
• extreme nutrient management - The large quantities of generated manure and urine are automatically collected in local sewage systems and redistributed to local agricultural lands as fertilizer.

Critics claim that factory farming is inhumane, poses health risks, and causes enviornmental damage. Arguments include:

• Animals raised on antibiotics are breeding superstrains of various diseases.
• Concentrated animal waste is polluting the groundwater.
• Crowding, drugging, and mutilating animals (often, debeaking and tail-docking, performed without anesthetic ) are criminally cruel practices.

Proponents claim that factory farming is a useful agricultural advance:

• Intensive agriculture is necessary to meet demand for affordable food.
• Properly run factory farms meet government standards for safe and humane food production.

So, there you have it. What your mother never told you about the big business of farming.

I will say that I'm sure not ALL farms are run this way. But to farm successfully, to turn a profit in today's economy, there has to be a way to ensure the relative 'health' of the livestock being raised. Rest assured, MY little chooks will be keeping their beaks!
Chickens + Beaks+Pasture+ Exercise+Good Care= Healthy Eggs 4 Eating!

Back to Basics - Eggs are GOOD for You!

Yesterday I wrote about different "ploys" used on egg carton advertisements... words to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside...to make you feel GOOD about the choice you made in purchasing one certain type of egg over another.

Raising my own pullets this year has been, and still is, a learning experience. Livestock management has always been of interest to me, and maintaining a small flock of 5 hens is relatively easy, not as labor intensive as it would be if I had more birds. There's still much to learn and practice, especially as they reach the age of egg production, but for the small amount of time it takes to do daily chores, it's well worth the effort, knowing I am going to have a much healthier egg at breakfast time!

The following information was found in Mother Earth News:

Most of the eggs currently sold in supermarkets are nutritionally inferior to eggs produced by hens raised on pasture. That’s the conclusion we have reached following completion of the 2007 Mother Earth News egg testing project. Our testing has found that, compared to official U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient data for commercial eggs, eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:
• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene

Click on the picture above to enlarge. The egg on the top of the pan is the grocery store version - yellow yolk, watery 'white'. The one on the bottom of the pan is from a pastured hen - notice the darker yolk, and it stands up out of the white a bit more; the white is thicker and superior in appearance.. Chicken egg warehouses often feed an additive with yellow or orange color enhancer to their hens which produces a darker yellow color in the yolk. With pastured chickens, beta carotene or xanthophyll are natural plant pigments which darken the yellow yolk. Extra corn in the feed will do this as well.
Do you need a rooster for a hen to lay eggs?
No, hens lay eggs without the rooster, but you do need a rooster to have fertile eggs for hatching.

Is it possible to have an egg without a yolk? Yes, but it is rare. Yolk-less eggs (I have found one before!) are called wind eggs, and happen if a bit of reproductive tissue breaks away, and wraps in albumen, membranes and shell. These were once believed to be laid by Roosters, and were called cock eggs!

What about double yolkers? This happens when the hen ovulates too rapidly. They are most often laid by pullets just beginning to start laying eggs. Heavy breed hens carry this tendency as an inherited trait. The world record is 9 yolks in one egg! (I have found 3 yolks once!)

Support the small hobby farms - buy eggs from pastured hens! They're better for you!

Back to Basics - the Egg

With the current economy come changes. Some for the good, some for the bad. A good friend of mine reported that at this year's upcoming 4-H Fair, there will no longer be premiums offered to winners in each category of achievement. And quite possibly, this year MIGHT be the last year of their County Fair! I was stunned, to say the least. And to top it off, thoughts have been coming to my mind that with all of the government controls, we are gradually loosing a 'way of life' - a way of living that may (or may not) have been taught to us through our mothers, or grandmothers.

I, for one, am saddened to see time pass with all the modern changes. We are helpless to control some of the changes in life - the inventions, like the telephone - they have gone from a mere DREAM to a telegraph, to a 'party line', to digital and cell phones with images. For a fee, we can dial up, text, and send computerized email messages, we can listen to music, snap photos, and google a travel location - all from our telephone! A truly amazing gadget - who would have thought!

Don't get me wrong - I love the modern way of life with ease of doing things. It leaves more time for the really important things - family and friends, community service and worship service! What is rapidly disappearing in many a daily life is The Basics - the "good things" that used to be part of everyone's way of life. I would like to go back to 'Basics' in my way of living, so I've been exploring some of the ways to do this, and practicing it in small and simple ways. I want to keep some personal control in these times of 'government control', and today I will write about a basic that most of us are familiar with - the EGG.

I raised some chicks this year, and they are growing up to be beauties! Mr. Wonderful built them a cottage, they have their names on the door. They even have a Motivational Sign posted above the nest boxes!But, what do you know about all the various kinds of eggs in the store - REALLY??? The labels tout all sorts of brief info to make you 'feel good' about selecting their brands. Here's some tips...


Cage Free, Free Range or Free Roaming - This means the hens have been allowed access to the outside. Usually the laying hens are raised in large flocks in big open chicken warehouses rather than in stacked cages. They can walk around and flap their wings and stretch. It is probably very limited, and can be on dirt or concrete flooring rather than pasture. Cage Free, in USDA standards, does not mean outdoor access.

Certified Organic - This means the egg production methods comply with the USDA's National Organic Program which includes organic, vegetarian feed, no use of antibiotics, and no cages. Debeaking and forced molting by starvation are allowed. Organic standards require maintaining living conditions which accomodate health and natural behavior of the chickens. On large organic chicken farms, it may mean nothing more than a small door opening onto a concrete yard.
Certified Humane - Humane Farm Animal Care operates a certification program specifying that laying hens are uncaged, with access to perches, nest boxes, and dust-bathing areas. There are stocking maximums, but outdoor access is not required. Beak trimming (but not debeaking) is allowed; starvation to induce molting is prohibited.

Omega 3 - ALL eggs contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acides, thought to be beneficial to human health. Omega-3 levels in eggs can be raised by supplementing the birds' diet with fish oil, flax seed, or alfalfa meal (or by simply allowing the birds to forage on lawn or pasture).

As for me, my "feel good" comes from purchasing eggs through a local farmer who allows his hens to roam in an outside enclosure. They are 'pastured' hens. They can pick and choose their delicacies as they please, supplemented by scratch feed and vegetable trimmings. They have sand baths. They have been allowed to keep their BEAKS! I plan to do this until my hens begin laying this fall, and I will have first hand knowledge as to what they are eating, what is fed. Mr. Wonderful bought a book called "Avoid the Vet", which is about raising chickens on a small scale. Very good reading, and a great way to learn natural chicken care.

Please visit again for more "Back to Basics"!